insurmountable
/,insə:'mauntəbl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Impossible to overcome or get past: Describes a barrier, difficulty, or problem that is too great to be conquered, surpassed, or dealt with successfully.
- Too large or severe to be dealt with: Refers to an obstacle or challenge that cannot be solved or managed due to its extreme nature.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The mountain pass was considered insurmountable until the new road was built.
- They faced insurmountable financial difficulties and had to close the business.
- The language barrier seemed insurmountable at first, but they learned to communicate.
Advanced Usage
"insurmountable odds": A common phrase describing a situation where the chances of success appear to be zero due to overwhelmingly difficult circumstances.
- Against insurmountable odds, the small team managed to win the championship.
"an insurmountable lead": Used in competitive contexts (like sports or elections) to describe a lead so large that it cannot possibly be overcome by the opponent.
- With only five minutes left, our team had an insurmountable lead of twenty points.
Variants and Related Words
- Surmount (verb): To overcome a difficulty or obstacle.
- They were able to surmount every challenge.
- Surmountable (adjective): Able to be overcome.
- The problems were difficult but ultimately surmountable.
Synonyms
- Unbeatable
- Invincible
- Impassable
- Insuperable
Antonyms
- Surmountable
- Beatable
- Conquerable
- Manageable
Related Phrases
- An insurmountable obstacle/barrier: A problem or blockage that cannot be passed.
- The lack of funding proved to be an insurmountable obstacle for the project.
- To present an insurmountable challenge: To be a challenge that cannot be met or solved.
- The complex equations presented an insurmountable challenge to the students.
Adjective
- impossible to surmount
- not capable of being surmounted or overcome
- insurmountable disadvantages