insurmountable

adjective

ˌin(t)-sər-ˈmau̇n-tə-bəl How to pronounce insurmountable (audio)
Definition of insurmountablenext
as in insuperable
incapable of being defeated, overcome, or subdued the familiar story of the underdog who ultimately triumphs despite insurmountable odds

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of insurmountable The 911 Emergency When consumer wireless phones first arrived in the 1990s, emergency 911 service posed a seemingly insurmountable hurdle to widespread adoption. — Anna Demeo, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026 Ohtani’s two-run homer in the next inning, followed soon after by an RBI single from Pages, made the Dodgers’ lead insurmountable. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 The rookie Cup driver only has 257 total points on the year — an insurmountable 712 points below the playoff cut-line. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 17 Aug. 2026 Obviously an insurmountable tragedy for the dad in this case. — Charmaine Patterson, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for insurmountable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insurmountable
  1. insuperable
  2. unconquerable
  3. invincible
  4. unstoppable
  5. indomitable
  6. unbeatable
  7. invulnerable
  8. impregnable
Adjective
  • Orban succeeded in this enterprise to what seemed like an insuperable level.
    — Melik Kaylan, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Raise the stakes, place insuperable obstacles before the protagonist, have the protagonist somehow surmount them while becoming braver and better.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Definition of insuperable
Adjective
  • The rescue party made its way to New York harbor by train, private car, and then two bicycles shared among the three of them—Frank, Sarah’s husband, on one; Sarah and Billo on the other—when shipyard traffic proved unconquerable by automobile.
    — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
  • The Spurs led for more minutes than the Knicks and built seemingly unconquerable leads.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 June 2026
Definition of unconquerable
Adjective
  • Panettiere featured as the virtually invincible high school cheerleader Claire Bennet on the series across four seasons.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Maceta stood contemplating the invincible green of the pastureland.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of invincible
Adjective
  • For years, California's population growth seemed unstoppable.
    — James Ward, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
  • For a brief moment during the 2010–11 Arab uprisings, the drive for change seemed unstoppable, but otherwise the arrangement worked.
    — MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of unstoppable
Adjective
  • More than 70 years after her onscreen breakout, Audrey Hepburn‘s legacy is an indomitable Hollywood presence to attempt to recreate onscreen.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Aug. 2026
  • The director has established himself as this century’s preëminent Hollywood filmmaker, the rare working artist whose catalogue is as commercially indomitable as it is critically lauded.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 22 July 2026
Definition of indomitable
Adjective
  • Nearby Cave Lake State Park, just 14 miles southeast of Ely, is another unbeatable spot for riding.
    — Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026
  • The fake ads often offer what appear to be unbeatable deals, capitalizing on people’s desperation.
    — Kevinisha Walker, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of unbeatable
Adjective
  • Google also doesn’t claim that SynthID is invulnerable—the original paper on the technology notes that the watermark is not intended to withstand adversarial attacks.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 29 July 2026
  • For Ross, this gives the character a steadier presence than the standard invulnerable operative often found in genre fiction.
    — Matt Emma, USA Today, 29 July 2026
Definition of invulnerable
Adjective
  • Dropped catches from Steve Smith, Green and Travis Head ensured yesterday's brief rally in the field fizzled out and allowed Bangladesh to bat itself into an almost impregnable position.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The shell of a good- sized adult abalone is more or less impregnable to most of the kelp forest’s predators, too strong and too thick for penetration.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 July 2026
Definition of impregnable

Browse Nearby Words

insuring
insurmountable
insurrection
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Cite this Entry

“Insurmountable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insurmountable. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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