Word "impregnable"

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Bassim

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I am wondering if I can use the word "impregnable" in the following sentences. I would also like to know if the sentences 1, or 3. are restrictive or non-restrictive clauses. I am not sure when it is about these two relative clauses.

1. She was a woman with an impregnable will who fought for human rights all her life.
2. The president believed that his palace was impregnable, which proved wrong when the soldiers attacked it and destroyed.
3. The factory owner was an impregnable person who never made any concessions.
 

Jenniferhu

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Only #3 has the restrictive clause. She is the woman who knows the truth (restrictive); The suspect in the lineup, who owns a red car, committed the crime (non-restrictive). For more info, see Clauses - Restrictive and Nonrestrictive.

I'd use impenetrable in #2. The rest looks good to me.

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5jj

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1. She was a woman with an impregnable will who fought for human rights all her life.
2. The president believed that his palace was impregnable, which proved wrong when the soldiers attacked (it) and destroyed it.
3. The factory owner was an impregnable person who never made any concessions.

'Impregnable' sounds unnatural to me in #1. How about 'strong', or 'indomitable'?
It's a very good word for #2
It's wrong in #3. You need 'strong-willed', 'stubborn', 'uncompromising', etc.
 
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Jenniferhu

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'Impregnable' sounds unnatural to me in #1. 'How about strong', or 'indomitable'?
It's a very good wird for #2
It's wrong in #3. You need 'strong-willed', 'stubborn', 'uncompromising', etc.

This post once again shows that a language sense cannot be acquired just by consulting a dictionary!
 

5jj

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This post once again shows that a language sense cannot be acquired just by consulting a dictionary!

That's why our forum rules include:

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You are welcome to reply to any of the questions posted in the Ask a Teacher Forum, even if you are not a teacher. In fact, your answers and contributions are most welcome. However, please ensure you state clearly in your post that you are not teacher,
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BobK

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'Impregnable' sounds unnatural to me in #1. 'How about strong', or 'indomitable'?
It's a very good word for #2
It's wrong in #3. You need 'strong-willed', 'stubborn', 'uncompromising', etc.
I much prefer 'inomitable' for 1. 'Indomitable will' is a very strong collocation. The word indomitable is only followed by a noun 40 times in BNC, but 4 of those wordsare 'will' 1 is 'woman' and 1 is women'. So it seems to me very appropriate here.
1 INDOMITABLE SPIRIT 9
2 INDOMITABLE WILL 4
3 INDOMITABLE COURAGE 2
4 INDOMITABLE WOMEN 1
5 INDOMITABLE WOMAN 1
.
.
.

Read more here: British National Corpus (BYU-BNC).

b
 
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