Definition of inordinatenext

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 For a guy who hasn’t pitched yet this season, Kumar Rocker has had an inordinate number of conversations with Rangers manager Skip Schumaker. Evan Grant, Dallas Morning News, 3 Apr. 2026 Despite this low usage, transportation agencies tend to spend an inordinate amount of funds on transit. Adam Summers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2026 Data centers also consume an inordinate amount of energy and water. Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 16 Mar. 2026 The center console devotes an inordinate amount of space to side-by-side wireless phone chargers. Adam Ismail, The Drive, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inordinate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inordinate
Adjective
  • The two highest-ranking Republicans in the state legislature called Wednesday for former New Britain mayor Erin Stewart to consider dropping out of the governor’s race over reported excessive spending on the city’s credit card.
    Christopher Keating, Hartford Courant, 14 May 2026
  • Parents Alexus Benavidez and Rauf Scott of Collin County filed a complaint this month against Kids ‘R’ Kids of Lawler Farm in Frisco, alleging their 3-year-old son was the victim of excessive physical force that included yanking, spanking and smacking the toddler.
    Lina Ruiz May 14, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • The material includes Nazi iconography, extreme misogyny and racist sentiments about Black people and other minority groups, law enforcement officials said.
    Tom Winter, NBC news, 19 May 2026
  • In addition, the extreme naïveté of the Spanish do-gooder lawyer is an out-of-place cliché in a film whose cinematic potency and multifaceted performances testify to Marrakchi’s strengths.
    Jay Weissberg, Variety, 19 May 2026
Adjective
  • By 2030, some 100,000 satellites may orbit the planet, with further steep growth expected in the coming decades.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 18 May 2026
  • The index is back in the green after steep losses at the end of last week.
    Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 18 May 2026
Adjective
  • In any other historical period, proposing such a career trajectory would’ve seemed mildly insane — like if Peter Buck had followed up Fables of the Reconstruction by producing Whitney Houston instead of the Feelies.
    Jon Dolan, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2026
  • For so much of the season, Rachel is low-key stoned, which can keep her at a remove, even when things are getting really insane.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • The extravagant villa took a decade to build and was completed in 2018, crafted by architect and designer Peter Marino.
    Gina Kalsi, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
  • From cheeky shots of celebrities like Jane Fonda and Arnold Schwarzenegger to extravagant, sensual portfolios of America’s Olympic squads, the magazine’s pantheon of photographers have helped to define the genre of sports portraiture.
    Kahina Sekkaï, Vanity Fair, 14 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Inordinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inordinate. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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