insuperable
adjective
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Insuperable is a super word: that is, it belongs to a family of English terms that come from the Latin word super, meaning "over." It first appeared in print in the 14th century, and as a close synonym of insurmountable, it still essentially means what it did then. Insuperable comes directly from the Latin word insuperabilis, which was formed by combining the negative prefix in- with the verb superare (which comes from super and means "to surmount, overcome, or excel") and the adjective abilis (meaning "able"). Hence, insuperabilis means "unable to be surmounted, overcome, or passed over," or more simply, "insurmountable." The word can describe physical barriers that cannot be scaled (such as walls or mountains) as well as more figurative obstacles.
Examples of insuperable in a Sentence
Stephania Taladrid, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
Whether one favors moves toward a Palestinian state in the coming years or believes that full Palestinian statehood would present insuperable dangers to Jordan, Israel, and Palestinians alike, all parties should support the goal of better government for Palestinians.
—Elliott Abrams, Foreign Affairs, 7 Feb. 2025
Television’s tendency to play down to the masses — manipulating our individual needs for attention, for agreement, or simply to win — is an insuperable problem at this particular, shameless moment in pop culture.
—Armond White, National Review, 16 Oct. 2024
This attitude, although understandable, creates an insuperable barrier to creating a better policy.
—Alan S. Blinder, Foreign Affairs, 11 Dec. 2018
See All Example Sentences for insuperable
Cite this Entry
“Insuperable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/insuperable. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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insuperable
adjective
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