Insurmountable

/ˌɪn.sərˈmaʊn.tə.bəl/

Meaning & Definition

adjective

Impossible to overcome or surpass.

The team faced insurmountable odds in their quest to win the championship.

Too great to be overcome or dealt with.

She found the task of raising funds for her project to be insurmountable without help.

Not able to be overcome or conquered.

The mountain posed an insurmountable barrier to their expedition.

Exceeding what is manageable or feasible.

After years of research, he felt that the challenges were insurmountable.

From Latin insurmountabilis, from in- 'not' + surmountable.

climb an insurmountable mountain

to face an overwhelming challenge with little hope of success.

insurmountable odds

challenges or conditions that are extremely difficult or impossible to overcome.

overcome

to succeed in dealing with a problem or difficulty.

challenge

a call to take part in a contest or competition.

Out of reach

That goal feels insurmountable right now; it's just out of reach.

Beyond the pale

The deadlines are beyond the pale; they're insurmountable.