svårtöverskådlig

svårtöverskådlig is a Swedish adjective that translates to "difficult to grasp," "unmanageable," or "overwhelmingly complex." It is used to describe a situation, concept, or amount of information that is so extensive or intricate that it is hard to understand or get a clear overview of. The term implies a sense of being lost in details or burdened by a scale that defies easy comprehension.

The word is a compound of "svår" (difficult) and "överskådlig" (surveyable, clear, manageable). Therefore, literally, it means "difficult to survey" or "difficult to make an overview of." It is often employed in contexts dealing with large datasets, complex systems, intricate problems, or extensive bureaucratic processes. For example, one might describe a large financial report, a complicated legal document, or a vast amount of research as svårtöverskådlig.

The feeling evoked by something being svårtöverskådlig is one of frustration, confusion, or a sense of being overwhelmed. It suggests that a significant effort, or perhaps a specialized approach, is needed to break down the complexity into more manageable parts. The opposite of svårtöverskådlig would be "lättöverskådlig," meaning easy to grasp or clear. The adjective highlights the challenge of cognitive processing when faced with excessive scale or intricacy.