insurmountable amount

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "insurmountable amount" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a quantity or burden that seems impossible to overcome or deal with. Example: "The team faced an insurmountable amount of challenges during the project, making success seem unlikely."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

He added, "A million dollars in red ink is not a crazy, insurmountable amount of money".

The New York Times - Arts

As a country, is it to boast an advanced level of expensive medical diagnostics involving an insurmountable amount of insurance paperwork in a litigious society in which defensive medicine is practiced?

The New York Times

Soon Reddit would have quite a bit more to worry about than just the quality of their code and the growingly insurmountable amount of tech debt that was causing long-promised features like search and the ever elusive official Reddit mobile app to fall by the wayside.

TechCrunch

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Vice

Most adoptions from China end up costing around $35,000, an insurmountable amount for a family so heavily in debt.

Huffington Post

So how do we do this when we are faced every day with what seems like an insurmountable amount of problems in our world?

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

Taking a leaf from US President Barack Obama's presidential campaigns, India's parties are using tools to crunch the insurmountable amounts of information social media generates - what's known as big data analytics.

BBC

There are a lot of new things going on that have caused me insurmountable amounts of mom guilt.

Huffington Post

Sure, he is 300 pounds of sculptured titanium, bench-presses old Chevy engine blocks for fun and recorded 60 career sacks at a major program, but he may not transition smoothly from three-technique to five-technique, an insurmountable adjustment that amounts to lining up about 42 lateral inches from where he did at college.

The New York Times

This is perhaps due to the fact that a "resignation to fate" in the engrained philosophy of mai pen rai promotes the idea that areas of learning are not challenges, but insurmountable barriers that no amount of effort can overcome.

Language Testing in Asia

Nevertheless, despite the great intuitive appeal of the SPO, and the support it provides for access internalism, a dilemmatic argument may amount to an insurmountable obstacle for any form of access internalism (Bergmann 2006).

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "insurmountable amount", consider the context and whether a more specific term might be more impactful. For example, instead of "insurmountable amount of debt", consider "crushing debt".

Common error

Avoid using "insurmountable amount" for relatively small or easily manageable quantities. The phrase implies a truly significant and challenging magnitude.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "insurmountable amount" functions as a modifier to describe a noun, emphasizing that the specified quantity is so large or difficult that it presents an insurmountable challenge. Ludwig indicates this is a grammatically correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "insurmountable amount" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe a quantity or burden that seems impossible to overcome. Ludwig AI validates its correctness. While versatile, it's most frequently found in news and professional contexts to emphasize the magnitude of a challenge. When using the phrase, consider if a more precise or impactful term might strengthen your writing, and avoid using it for quantities that aren't truly significant. Alternatives like "overwhelming quantity" or "prohibitive sum" can provide a similar meaning. Remember that the phrase implies a sense of impossibility, making it a powerful tool for conveying the severity of a situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unmanageable quantity

Focuses on the difficulty in handling or dealing with the amount.

overwhelming quantity

Emphasizes the feeling of being overwhelmed by the sheer size of the amount.

prohibitive sum

Highlights that the amount prevents something from happening due to its size.

unbearable burden

Shifts focus from quantity to the negative impact or difficulty it imposes.

impossible quantity

Implies the amount is so large it's practically unattainable or unachievable.

insurmountable obstacle

Changes the focus to the barrier or problem the amount represents.

daunting challenge

Emphasizes the difficulty and apprehension associated with the amount.

unachievable level

Highlights the impossibility of reaching the specified amount or target.

insurmountable debt

Specifically refers to a debt that cannot be repaid due to its size.

uncontrollable expense

Highlights the lack of management or regulation with the costs.

FAQs

How can I use "insurmountable amount" in a sentence?

You can use "insurmountable amount" to describe a quantity or burden that seems impossible to overcome. For example, "The project faced an insurmountable amount of challenges." Other possible sentences include "An "insurmountable amount of debt" prevented them from buying a house" or "The team was facing an "insurmountable amount of work"".

What phrases are similar to "insurmountable amount"?

Alternatives include "overwhelming quantity", "prohibitive sum", or "unmanageable quantity". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is "insurmountable amount" formal or informal?

"Insurmountable amount" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, it's more commonly found in professional and news-related writing, due to its descriptive nature.

What's the difference between "insurmountable amount" and "large amount"?

"Large amount" simply indicates a considerable quantity. "Insurmountable amount" implies that the quantity is so great it presents an unachievable challenge or barrier. It conveys a sense of impossibility, which "large amount" does not.