insoluble
insoluble — adjective
- insolublepositive
- more insolublecomparative
- most insolublesuperlative
1. describes a problem, question, or disagreement for which there is no possible an
describes a problem, question, or disagreement for which there is no possible answer or way out
Amara stared at the insoluble puzzle and wondered if anyone could ever solve it.
collocation: insoluble puzzle / problem
The two neighbours were stuck in an insoluble argument about the broken fence.
Diego told his boss that the budget problem was not insoluble, just difficult.
After three hours of debate, the disagreement seemed completely insoluble.
The maths problem looked insoluble until Fatima noticed a small mistake in the question.
- unsolvable
very close in meaning but slightly less formal; more common for puzzles and practical problems
- intractable
more formal; used for stubborn problems in politics, medicine, or economics
- irresolvable
typically used for conflicts or disagreements where two sides cannot be reconciled
- soluble
describes a problem that can be solved (the figurative sense)
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2 (WON'T DISSOLVE): this sense refers to abstract problems or questions, never to physical substances.
常見錯誤
2. describes a solid material that stays unchanged when mixed into a liquid, never
describes a solid material that stays unchanged when mixed into a liquid, never breaking apart to form a solution
Kwame dropped the insoluble powder into the glass of water and watched it settle.
Sand is insoluble in water, so it travels along the bottom of rivers.
pattern: insoluble in + [liquid]
Elena learned that oil is insoluble in water during her first cooking class.
The scientist explained that most plastics are insoluble in common liquids.
Hiroshi filtered the mixture to remove the insoluble bits of rock and dirt.
- non-soluble
more common in scientific writing and on product labels
- soluble
capable of being dissolved in a liquid
用法筆記
Subject is always a physical substance or material. Distinguish from sense 1 (NO SOLUTION), which describes abstract problems.