surmountable

/səˈmaʊn.tə.bəl/ (bre, ipa) · /sɚˈmaʊn.t̬ə.bəl/ (ame, ipa) · /-təbəl How to pronounce surmountable (audio)/ (ame, mw)

surmountable — adjective

  • surmountablepositive
  • more surmountablecomparative
  • most surmountablesuperlative

1. describing a problem, difficulty, or obstacle that is not so big that you cannot

1.形容詞C1
釋義

describing a problem, difficulty, or obstacle that is not so big that you cannot succeed against it — for example, a surmountable challenge is one you can definitely get past if you try hard enough.

例句

Despite the tight deadline, the team found the project's challenges surmountable with careful planning.

collocation: surmountable challenge / surmountable obstacle

Wei worried about the language barrier, but soon realised it was a surmountable problem.

predicative: be + surmountable

同義詞
  • conquerable

    more emphatic; suggests defeating something completely

  • doable

    informal; broader in meaning (any task, not just difficulties)

  • feasible

    focuses on practicality rather than effort required

  • superable

    very formal and rare; nearly identical in meaning

反義詞
  • insurmountable

    direct opposite; describes obstacles that cannot be overcome

  • impossible

    stronger and broader; for any goal that cannot be achieved

文法句型

be + surmountable

surmountable + noun

seem/prove + surmountable

用法筆記

Almost always used for abstract difficulties (challenges, obstacles, problems) rather than physical barriers, although the literal meaning (a wall you can climb over) is also possible in formal writing.

常見錯誤

❌The small hill was surmountable, so we drove around it.
✅The small hill was surmountable, so we climbed to the top.
💡Surmountable means you CAN get over/through something, not that you choose to avoid it.
❌My sadness is surmountable' (too vague).
✅My sadness about failing the test is surmountable.
💡The word works best when the specific problem is named.