insupportable

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'insupportable' is correct and can be used in written English.
It is an adjective meaning "intolerable; unbearable, too great or intense to be endured." An example sentence would be: "The insupportable heat of the summer made going outside almost impossible."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The reasoning of those tribunals, if followed by the balance, strongly suggests that Argentina will lose all 43.It has not paid any award so far, claiming that each must also be approved under local law, a clearly insupportable position under international law.

The Economist

"His fate was heavy," Mr Ackroyd writes, "his life all but insupportable".

The Economist

In the seemingly insatiable BRICs, the lag between the burgeoning demand of the past few years and the investment to meet it means that dozens of new factories are coming on stream at precisely the wrong moment.Struggling with closed credit markets and insupportable operational gearing, carmakers are going cap-in-hand to governments to plead for loans to get them through the next few months.

The Economist

If credit were too easy, he argued, entrepreneurs would embark on overambitious projects that take too long to reach fruition and make insupportable claims on society's resources.It is not hard to find overambitious projects in China: think of the country's "ghost cities", such as Ordos in Inner Mongolia, which is being built by government fiat long before people are ready to live in it.

The Economist

Unless Argentina can resume economic growth, following three years of recession, its debt burden may become insupportable.

The Economist

Why, the big spenders ask, is 45% insupportable in Britain while the West Germans get along with a similar, even larger, percentage and churn out economic miracles?Schumpeter believed the answer lay in a close examination of fiscal sociology.

The Economist

Such debts became insupportable as margins fell and credit dried up.

The Economist

The different divisions were run almost as independent fiefs that fought among themselves and against any interference from the centre.Still, GM was doing well enough after the second world war to accede to the deals with the UAW that, much later, were to become an insupportable burden.

The Economist

But things have changed on both sides of the Atlantic.European governments soon realised that the command-and-control system of emissions targets they planned would impose insupportable costs on business, and that they would have to use market mechanisms to ensure flexibility and efficiency and thus keep costs down.

The Economist

Many fear that China's overstretched property market will collapse, leaving insupportable debts in its wake.

The Economist

As the continent's populations age, the cost of providing generous state pensions under the current rules will prove insupportable: big increases in tax rates will be needed to balance the books, bigger than most politicians think voters will accept.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "insupportable", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is being described as unbearable or unsustainable. Strong verbs and descriptive adjectives can help emphasize the severity of the situation.

Common error

Avoid using "insupportable" for minor inconveniences. It is most effective when describing situations with significant consequences or burdens that are truly difficult to bear.

Linguistic Context

The adjective "insupportable" primarily functions to describe something as being unbearable, unsustainable, or impossible to defend. Ludwig AI confirms that this is a correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

16%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "insupportable" is an adjective used to describe something unbearable, unsustainable, or impossible to defend. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English. It frequently appears in news and formal business contexts, conveying a sense of severe burden or unacceptability. While alternatives like "unbearable" or "intolerable" exist, "insupportable" is valuable when emphasizing the indefensible nature of something. Remember to use it in situations where the burden or difficulty is significant.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unsupportable

Direct synonym focusing on the inability to provide evidence or justification.

unbearable

Focuses on the emotional or physical discomfort caused, emphasizing the inability to endure.

intolerable

Highlights the unacceptability of a situation or condition, stressing a lack of permissibility.

unendurable

Stresses the inability to endure something, often due to intense physical or emotional pain.

unsustainable

Emphasizes the inability to maintain a certain level or condition over time.

indefensible

Focuses on the lack of justification or rationale for something, particularly in arguments or actions.

unjustifiable

Similar to indefensible, but it stresses moral or ethical lack of support.

untenable

Highlights that a position or situation cannot be maintained or defended against attack or objection.

inadmissible

Refers to something that cannot be allowed or accepted, often in a legal or formal context.

past bearing

Emphasizes exceeding the capacity to tolerate or endure something.

FAQs

How to use "insupportable" in a sentence?

You can use "insupportable" to describe situations, arguments, or burdens that are unbearable or cannot be justified. For example, "The financial strain on the family became "insupportable" after the job loss."

What can I say instead of "insupportable"?

You can use alternatives like "unbearable", "intolerable", or "unsustainable" depending on the specific context and meaning you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "insupportable" in writing?

"Insupportable" is appropriate when describing situations, arguments, or conditions that are genuinely difficult to bear, justify, or maintain. It's a strong term best reserved for significant burdens or unsustainable positions.

What is the difference between "insupportable" and "untenable"?

While both words suggest something that cannot be maintained, "insupportable" emphasizes the unbearable nature of the situation, whereas "untenable" focuses more on the inability to defend or justify a position or stance.