Synonym Chooser

How is the word inordinate different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of inordinate are excessive, exorbitant, extravagant, extreme, and immoderate. While all these words mean "going beyond a normal limit," inordinate implies an exceeding of the limits dictated by reason or good judgment.

inordinate pride

When is excessive a more appropriate choice than inordinate?

The words excessive and inordinate can be used in similar contexts, but excessive implies an amount or degree too great to be reasonable or acceptable.

excessive punishment

When could exorbitant be used to replace inordinate?

The words exorbitant and inordinate are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, exorbitant implies a departure from accepted standards regarding amount or degree.

exorbitant prices

When can extravagant be used instead of inordinate?

The meanings of extravagant and inordinate largely overlap; however, extravagant implies an indifference to restraints imposed by truth, prudence, or good taste.

extravagant claims for the product

Where would extreme be a reasonable alternative to inordinate?

Although the words extreme and inordinate have much in common, extreme may imply an approach to the farthest limit possible or conceivable but commonly means only to a notably high degree.

extreme shyness

When is it sensible to use immoderate instead of inordinate?

The synonyms immoderate and inordinate are sometimes interchangeable, but immoderate implies lack of desirable or necessary restraint.

immoderate spending

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inordinate The challenge has always been to figure out how to personalize things without spending inordinate amounts of time and money mapping out every possible path a student might take. Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024 Advertisement Over cheesesteaks and Yuengling beer in Philadelphia and an inordinate variety of sausages and Miller Lite cans in Green Bay, fans were trying to put their election anxiety on hold for a few hours of tailgating and four quarters of football. Noah Bierman, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024 And that was before the 34-year-old founded Total Running Productions, the YouTube channel which spends an inordinate amount of time focusing on the granular details of professional track and field to the delight of nearly a million subscribers, many of which are a new generation of fans. Cory Mull, Forbes, 26 Nov. 2024 Though simple for a human to grasp, this concept is nontrivial for a computer to learn and thus would require inordinate amounts of training data and time. Somdeb Majumdar, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inordinate 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inordinate
Adjective
  • According to Mock, your professional maid service will not have the proper tools to safely remove excessive mold issues.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 9 Feb. 2025
  • Comedian and actress Amy Schumer announced last year that she was diagnosed with the rare hormonal disorder, Cushing’s syndrome, which is characterized by excessive production of cortisol.
    Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • In low-lying Bangladesh, 60% of the population is at high risk of floods, and climate change is making extreme rainfall even more common.
    Natalie Donback, TIME, 17 Feb. 2025
  • City officials say the event, where many participants drink alcohol, is chaotic, dangerous and typically requires many rescues and extreme vigilance by police and rangers.
    David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The water — being pumped up a steep grade — eventually reached the Guilford Reservoir on Cold Spring Lane.
    Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2025
  • Limited to groups of 12, most riders will get six to eight laps on 2,000 acres of bowls, glades and steep terrain that's off limits to the resort's other guests.
    Kale Williams, Axios, 7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Your voice is insane.
    Mary Colurso | mcolurso@al.com, al, 4 Apr. 2023
  • But obviously winning the grand jury prize was insane.
    Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2023
Adjective
  • As for the backyard — equipped with a pool and outdoor seating area with a fireplace — fans may recognize it as the spot where many extravagant parties hosted by the family were held.
    Natalia Senanayake, People.com, 7 Feb. 2025
  • Stories of tyranny, extravagant spending, and bizarre behavior have cemented his legacy as a symbol of decadence and madness.
    Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 6 Feb. 2025

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Thesaurus Entries Near inordinate

Cite this Entry

“Inordinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inordinate. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on inordinate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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