[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/insoluble/)

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# insoluble

adjective (insoluble; US also insolvable for problems)

«insoluble» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (science) Not able to dissolve in a liquid, usually water: sand is insoluble in water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insoluble/#m1)
2. Impossible to solve or answer: an insoluble problem. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insoluble/#m2)

### In the lessons

In science lessons on materials and mixtures, pupils test whether substances are soluble (salt, sugar) or insoluble (sand, chalk, oil); insoluble solids can be separated by filtering. In maths and stories, an insoluble puzzle has no solution. Phrases: insoluble in water, insoluble problem.

### Examples

- Sand is insoluble in water, so we can filter it out. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insoluble/#x1)
- Salt is soluble, but chalk is insoluble. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insoluble/#x2)
- Oil is insoluble in water and floats on top. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insoluble/#x3)
- The mystery seemed insoluble until the detective found a clue. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insoluble/#x4)
- Some maths puzzles are truly insoluble. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insoluble/#x5)
- Insoluble fibre in food helps digestion. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insoluble/#x6)

### Note

Opposite: «soluble». In science, insoluble in water does not mean insoluble in everything: oil paint dissolves in white spirit. For problems, «unsolvable» is more common in everyday speech.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «insoluble» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insoluble/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«insoluble» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/insoluble.html) on Mova free.