in·sur·mount·a·ble

(ĭn′sər-moun′tə-bəl)

adj.

Impossible to surmount; insuperable: insurmountable difficulties.

in′sur·mount′a·bil′i·ty, in′sur·mount′a·ble·ness n.

in′sur·mount′a·bly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

insurmountable

(ˌɪnsəˈmaʊntəbəl)

adj

incapable of being overcome; insuperable

ˌinsurˌmountaˈbility, ˌinsurˈmountableness n

ˌinsurˈmountably adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

in•sur•mount•a•ble

(ˌɪn sərˈmaʊn tə bəl)

adj.

incapable of being surmounted or overcome; insuperable.

[1690–1700]

in`sur•mount`a•bil′i•ty, n.

in`sur•mount′a•bly, adv.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.	1.	insurmountable - not capable of being surmounted or overcome; "insurmountable disadvantages" unsurmountable unconquerable - not capable of being conquered or vanquished or overcome; "a tribute to his courage...and his unconquerable will"- R.E.Danielson; "faced unconquerable difficulties" impossible - not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with; "an impossible dream"; "an impossible situation" surmountable - capable of being surmounted or overcome; "situations of measurable and surmountable danger"
	2.	insurmountable - impossible to surmount insuperable unconquerable - not capable of being conquered or vanquished or overcome; "a tribute to his courage...and his unconquerable will"- R.E.Danielson; "faced unconquerable difficulties"

insurmountable

adjective insuperable, impossible, overwhelming, hopeless, invincible, impassable, unconquerable The fiscal crisis does not seem like an insurmountable problem.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

insurmountable

adjective

Incapable of being negotiated or overcome:

impassable, insuperable.

Translations

ανυπέρβλητος αξεπέραστος

infranchissable

insormontabile

непреодолимый

insurmountable

[ˌɪnsəˈmaʊntəbl] ADJ → insuperable

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

insurmountable

[ˌɪnsə^rˈmaʊntəb^əl] adj [obstacle, problem, difficulty] → insurmontable

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

insurmountable

adj → unüberwindlich

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

insurmountable

[ˌɪnsəˈmaʊntəbl] adj → insormontabile

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

They were not insurmountable; they would not hold if he really loved her; they could not hold against her own passion, which he must come to realize in time.

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"They would be immense, infinite, terrific, insurmountable, if, as I have said, all things did not concur to render them of absolutely no account.

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It was all very well to join them, but speaking to them proved quite as much as ever an effort beyond my strength--offered, in close quarters, difficulties as insurmountable as before.

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We were now convinced that our enterprise was impracticable, and that to hazard ourselves amidst so many insurmountable difficulties would be to tempt Providence; despairing, therefore, that I should ever come this way to Abyssinia, I resolved to return back with my intelligence to my companion, whom I had left at Pate.

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These innumerable multitudes of ruminating beasts often form an insurmountable obstacle to the passage of the trains; thousands of them have been seen passing over the track for hours together, in compact ranks.

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Thus Hester Prynne, whose heart had lost its regular and healthy throb, wandered without a clue in the dark labyrinth of mind; now turned aside by an insurmountable precipice; now starting back from a deep chasm.

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Besides the advantage of being armed, which the Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation, the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of.

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But instead I felt an insurmountable desire to sleep, which happens to all divers.

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Morrel expected Villefort would be dejected; he found him as he had found him six weeks before, calm, firm, and full of that glacial politeness, that most insurmountable barrier which separates the well-bred from the vulgar man.

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Turning their faces now to the mountain, they endeavored to cross directly over it; but, after clambering nearly to the summit, found their path closed by insurmountable barriers.

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Your majesty added that, notwithstanding, if you could see him, confer with him, and meet him face to face, you would triumph, either by force or persuasion, over that obstacle -- the only serious one, the only insurmountable one, the only real one you met with on your road."

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Here they found a dozen lodges of Shoshonies, recently arrived, who informed them that had they persevered along the river, they would have found their difficulties augment until they became absolutely insurmountable. This intelligence added to the anxiety of Mr.

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