Word
inordinate
Phoneticsin·or·di·nate, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪˈnɔɹdənɪt/
UK/ɪnˈɔːdɪnət/
Definition
adj. much too large or too much, more than is reasonable or normal. You use it when something goes past a fair limit.
adj. excessively large in amount, degree, or intensity, beyond what is reasonable or justified. Often collocates with abstract nouns such as delay, pride, or fondness.
Examples
“He spends an inordinate amount of time on his phone.”
“The project faces an inordinate delay because approvals take weeks at each stage.”
“Despite its modest budget, the committee devoted an inordinate share of its sessions to procedural disputes, leaving substantive policy questions largely unexamined.”
Examples
simple
“He spends an inordinate amount of time on his phone.”
contextual
“The project faces an inordinate delay because approvals take weeks at each stage.”
complex
“Despite its modest budget, the committee devoted an inordinate share of its sessions to procedural disputes, leaving substantive policy questions largely unexamined.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “inordinate” in context.
Verb
01. appear inordinate
“His expenses appear inordinate compared to his colleagues.”
verb + adj
02. border on inordinate
“Her attention to detail borders on inordinate at times.”
verb + prep + adj
03. consider inordinate
“The committee considered the delay inordinate and demanded an explanation.”
verb + adj
04. deem inordinate
“The court deemed the force used by the police inordinate.”
verb + adj
05. find inordinate
“Many parents find the pressure on young children inordinate.”
verb + adj
Noun
06. inordinate amount
“She spent an inordinate amount on designer clothes last year.”
adj + noun
07. inordinate attention
“Celebrity trials receive inordinate attention from the press.”
adj + noun
08. inordinate delay
“The inordinate delay in delivering aid cost lives.”
adj + noun
09. an inordinate amount of time
“We spent an inordinate amount of time waiting for approval.”
10. border on the inordinate
“His enthusiasm for rules borders on the inordinate.”
11. cause inordinate delay to
“Strikes caused inordinate delay to morning commuters.”
12. devote inordinate attention to
“Tabloids devote inordinate attention to royal gossip.”
Usage
Typically placed before the noun it modifies; often modifies abstract nouns of amount, time, or desire.
Real-World Examples
“It is a reality that district leaders here have been grappling with for years: The Minneapolis school district suspends an inordinate number of black students compared with white ones, and it is struggling to figure out why.” “When McKinsey Comes to Town,” by the Times reporters Walt Bogdanich and Michael Forsythe, argues that the legendary firm has accrued an inordinate amount of influence chasing profits at the expense of moral principle.” Etymology
From Middle English inordinat, from Latin inōrdinātus (“not arranged, disordered, irregular”), from in- + ordinatus, past participle of ōrdināre (“to arrange, order”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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