inordinate
Americanadjective
-
not within proper or reasonable limits; immoderate; excessive.
He drank an inordinate amount of wine.
- Synonyms:
- disproportionate, unreasonable, outrageous, exorbitant, extreme
- Antonyms:
- reasonable
-
unrestrained in conduct, feelings, etc..
an inordinate admirer of beauty.
-
disordered or uncontrolled.
-
not regulated; irregular.
Keeping such inordinate hours will not help with your sleep issues.
adjective
-
exceeding normal limits; immoderate
-
unrestrained, as in behaviour or emotion; intemperate
-
irregular or disordered
Other Word Forms
- inordinacy noun
- inordinately adverb
- inordinateness noun
Etymology
Origin of inordinate
First recorded in 1350–1400; from Middle English inordinat, from Latin inordinātus “disordered,” equivalent to in- in- 3 + ordinātus “orderly, appointed”; see ordain, ordinate
Explanation
Something that's excessive or that goes way beyond normal limits is inordinate — like an overly obsessive love for chocolate or a fantasy football junkie who spends an inordinate amount of time checking his team. The adjective inordinate is the exact opposite of "reasonable" and "moderate." In fact, when you call something inordinate, you're saying it's downright exorbitant and out of proportion. It's often used to describe abnormal amounts of time spent doing something — playing video games at work or canoodling with your girlfriend at school, for example. But as Oscar Wilde once said, “An inordinate passion for pleasure is the secret of remaining young.”
Vocabulary lists containing inordinate
Othello
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Grade 11, List 3
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Negatives with "in"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Investors can also take comfort from the fact that the fund’s managers do not assume an inordinate amount of risk.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
We have an inordinate amount of respect for each other, both as people and as creative partners.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
I still do spend an inordinate amount of time texting and scrolling.
From Slate • Jan. 25, 2026
Scotland have an incredible habit of going scoreless for inordinate amounts of time in Test matches.
From BBC • Nov. 20, 2025
As a society, we certainly appear to have an inordinate fondness for sheep and other livestock, to judge from the vast numbers of them that we keep.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
