INSOLUBLE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does insoluble mean? 

• INSOLUBLE (adjective)
  The adjective INSOLUBLE has 3 senses:

1. (of a substance) incapable of being dissolved

2. admitting of no solution or explanation

3. without hope of solution

  Familiarity information: INSOLUBLE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INSOLUBLE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(of a substance) incapable of being dissolved

Synonyms:

indissoluble; insoluble

Similar:

non-water-soluble; water-insoluble (not soluble in water)

Antonym:

soluble ((of a substance) capable of being dissolved in some solvent (usually water))

Derivation:

insolubility (the quality of being insoluble and difficult to dissolve in liquid)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Admitting of no solution or explanation

Context example:

an insoluble doubt

Similar:

insolvable; unresolvable; unsoluble; unsolvable (not easily solved)

Also:

incomprehensible; inexplicable (incapable of being explained or accounted for)

Antonym:

soluble (susceptible of solution or of being solved or explained)

Derivation:

insolubility (the property (of a problem or difficulty) that makes it impossible to solve)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Without hope of solution

Context example:

an insoluble problem

Similar:

hopeless (without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success)

Derivation:

insolubility (the property (of a problem or difficulty) that makes it impossible to solve)

 Context examples 

A thin layer of water soluble or insoluble polymer intended to coat the inner surface of the cheek.

(Buccal Film Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus)

This supplement also contains several vitamins and other insoluble polysaccharides.

(Beta-glucan/Lactobacillus casei/Bifidobacterium lactis-based Supplement, NCI Thesaurus)

Cell Adhesion involves close adherence (bonding) of a cell to another cell surface or to insoluble material due to physiochemical attraction between molecules on the surfaces of the adjoining bodies in contact.

(Cell Adhesion, NCI Thesaurus)

A chemically heterogeneous group of organic compounds found in food that are insoluble in water but soluble in nonpolar solvents.

(Dietary Lipid, NCI Thesaurus/CRCH)

You may also see it listed on a food label as soluble fiber or insoluble fiber.

(Dietary Fiber, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

It is a most insoluble mystery.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Blood coagulation is another series of proenzyme-to-serine protease conversions, culminating the formation of thrombin, the enzyme responsible for the conversion of soluble fibrinogen to the insoluble fibrin clot.

(Complement and Coagulation Cascade, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

A synthetic, colorless gas that is insoluble in water and soluble in organic solvents.

(Monofluoroethene, NCI Thesaurus)

“Corrosion prevention was achieved through the formation of an insoluble organometallic complex at the metal-electrolyte interface,” says Gopalan, an author of the team report.

(Mango leaf extract can stop ships from rusting, SciDev.Net)

The insoluble compounds, such as nitriles and benzene, sink to the sea floor.

(Cassini Explores a Methane Sea on Titan, NASA)