Impossible
adjective
Not able to occur, exist or be done.
It's impossible to finish the task in one day.
Often appears as...
- impossible task
- impossible situation
adjective
Very difficult to deal with.
Her stubbornness makes her absolutely impossible.
Often appears as...
- impossible person
- impossible attitude
adjective
A situation being very difficult to mend or correct.
The given mathematical problem is impossible.
Often appears as...
- impossible problem
- impossible mission
Usage tips
Academic
adjective
Not able to occur, exist or be done.
It's impossible to finish the task in one day.
Often appears as...
- impossible task
- impossible situation
adjective
Very difficult to deal with.
Her stubbornness makes her absolutely impossible.
Often appears as...
- impossible person
- impossible attitude
adjective
A situation being very difficult to mend or correct.
The given mathematical problem is impossible.
Often appears as...
- impossible problem
- impossible mission
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Impossibility
Used to state something cannot happen due to laws of nature or limitations.
Flying unaided like a bird is impossible for humans.
Pro Tip 2/3Hyperbolic Expression
Often used to emphasize the difficulty of a task, not always literal.
Climbing that mountain in a day seems impossible.
Pro Tip 3/3Emphasize Futility
Indicates that effort will not change the outcome, suggesting giving up.
Arguing with him is impossible; he never listens.
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Impossibility
Used to state something cannot happen due to laws of nature or limitations.
Flying unaided like a bird is impossible for humans.
Pro Tip 2/3Hyperbolic Expression
Often used to emphasize the difficulty of a task, not always literal.
Climbing that mountain in a day seems impossible.
Pro Tip 3/3Emphasize Futility
Indicates that effort will not change the outcome, suggesting giving up.
Arguing with him is impossible; he never listens.
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Impossibility
Used to state something cannot happen due to laws of nature or limitations.
Flying unaided like a bird is impossible for humans.
Pro Tip 2/3Hyperbolic Expression
Often used to emphasize the difficulty of a task, not always literal.
Climbing that mountain in a day seems impossible.
Pro Tip 3/3Emphasize Futility
Indicates that effort will not change the outcome, suggesting giving up.
Arguing with him is impossible; he never listens.
Compare with
challengefutilehopelessimpracticalinsurmountablepreposterousrealisticunattainable
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Video examples
One Man’s Mission to...
ways from dead in fact it's almost impossible a killer redwood you can burn them like they have here if they burnt this out trying to get rid of it you cut them down burn them 140 years ago throw everything in the world and you can't kill it but nobody recognized that the tree lives on because when you threaten its life from
Video examples
What is Zeno's Dichotomy...
It says that traveling from any location to any other location should take an infinite amount of time. In other words, it says that all motion is impossible. This conclusion is clearly absurd, but where is the flaw in the logic? To resolve the paradox, it helps to turn the story into a math problem.
Video examples
5 tips to improve your...
Some are small and unimportant, but others have a larger impact on our lives. For example, which politician should I vote for? Should I try the latest diet craze? Or will email make me a millionaire? We're bombarded with so many decisions that it's impossible to make a perfect choice every time.
Video examples
Can you solve the virus...
so it's impossible to start and end a Hamiltonian path on opposite corners. It seems like you're out of luck, unless you look at the rules carefully and notice an important exception. It's true that once you activate the switch in a contaminated room, it's destroyed and you can never go back.
Video examples
The Infinite Hotel...
of prime numbers. So, to accomplish this seemingly impossible task of finding infinite beds for infinite buses of infinite weary travelers, the night manager assigns every current guest to the first prime number, 2, raised to the power of their current room number.
Video examples
Eduardo Sáenz de...
Your intuition tells you it's impossible. Do the math and you'll see it's right. That's what math is for. It's true that science, all types of science, only makes sense because it makes us better understand this beautiful world we live in. And in doing that,
Video examples
What is bipolar...
while Type 2 involves briefer, less extreme periods of elation interspersed with long periods of depression. For someone seesawing between emotional states, it can feel impossible to find the balance necessary to lead a healthy life.
Video examples
Just How BIG are...
Up here on land, they're impossibly ungainly and out of place. But for these female elephant seals there's still one part of their life where they're totally bound to the land. They come here to give birth.
Video examples
Giving checkmate is...
continued that I'm convinced that it's almost impossible almost as a matter of fact it was he was not the only world champion thinking similarly about
Video examples
Rare Tiger vs Boar Fight...
To see a tiger hunting boar is extremely rare. To capture it on camera is virtually impossible.
Video examples
One Man’s Mission to...
ways from dead in fact it's almost impossible a killer redwood you can burn them like they have here if they burnt this out trying to get rid of it you cut them down burn them 140 years ago throw everything in the world and you can't kill it but nobody recognized that the tree lives on because when you threaten its life from
Video examples
What is Zeno's Dichotomy...
It says that traveling from any location to any other location should take an infinite amount of time. In other words, it says that all motion is impossible. This conclusion is clearly absurd, but where is the flaw in the logic? To resolve the paradox, it helps to turn the story into a math problem.
Video examples
5 tips to improve your...
Some are small and unimportant, but others have a larger impact on our lives. For example, which politician should I vote for? Should I try the latest diet craze? Or will email make me a millionaire? We're bombarded with so many decisions that it's impossible to make a perfect choice every time.
Video examples
Can you solve the virus...
so it's impossible to start and end a Hamiltonian path on opposite corners. It seems like you're out of luck, unless you look at the rules carefully and notice an important exception. It's true that once you activate the switch in a contaminated room, it's destroyed and you can never go back.
Video examples
The Infinite Hotel...
of prime numbers. So, to accomplish this seemingly impossible task of finding infinite beds for infinite buses of infinite weary travelers, the night manager assigns every current guest to the first prime number, 2, raised to the power of their current room number.
Video examples
Eduardo Sáenz de...
Your intuition tells you it's impossible. Do the math and you'll see it's right. That's what math is for. It's true that science, all types of science, only makes sense because it makes us better understand this beautiful world we live in. And in doing that,
Video examples
What is bipolar...
while Type 2 involves briefer, less extreme periods of elation interspersed with long periods of depression. For someone seesawing between emotional states, it can feel impossible to find the balance necessary to lead a healthy life.
Video examples
Just How BIG are...
Up here on land, they're impossibly ungainly and out of place. But for these female elephant seals there's still one part of their life where they're totally bound to the land. They come here to give birth.
Video examples
Giving checkmate is...
continued that I'm convinced that it's almost impossible almost as a matter of fact it was he was not the only world champion thinking similarly about
Video examples
Rare Tiger vs Boar Fight...
To see a tiger hunting boar is extremely rare. To capture it on camera is virtually impossible.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Ray Bradbury
American Writer
Science fiction is any idea that occurs in the head and doesn't exist yet, but soon will, and will change everything for everybody, and nothing will ever be the same again. As soon as you have an idea that changes some small part of the world you are writing science fiction. It is always the art of the possible, never the impossible.
Quote examples
Jim Carrey
Canadian Comedian
I'm so wrapped up in my work that it's often impossible to consider other things in my life. My marriage ended in divorce because of this, my relationship with Holly has suffered by this.
Quote examples
Paulo Coelho
Brazilian Novelist
Remember your dreams and fight for them. You must know what you want from life. There is just one thing that makes your dream become impossible: the fear of failure.
Quote examples
Joyce Meyer
American Author
It's impossible to live a life totally free of feelings. God created all of us to be emotional creatures, and feelings are a big part of our lives.
Quote examples
Stephen Hawking
English Physicist
Even if it turns out that time travel is impossible, it is important that we understand why it is impossible.
Quote examples
Victor Hugo
French Author
Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.
Quote examples
Venus Williams
American Tennis Player
In life, there is no such thing as impossible; it's always possible.
Quote examples
Leo Tolstoy
Russian Novelist
Without knowing what I am and why I am here, life is impossible.
Quote examples
Anton Chekhov
Russian Dramatist
You must trust and believe in people or life becomes impossible.
Quote examples
Francis Bacon
English Philosopher
It is impossible to love and to be wise.
Quote examples
Ray Bradbury
American Writer
Science fiction is any idea that occurs in the head and doesn't exist yet, but soon will, and will change everything for everybody, and nothing will ever be the same again. As soon as you have an idea that changes some small part of the world you are writing science fiction. It is always the art of the possible, never the impossible.
Quote examples
Jim Carrey
Canadian Comedian
I'm so wrapped up in my work that it's often impossible to consider other things in my life. My marriage ended in divorce because of this, my relationship with Holly has suffered by this.
Quote examples
Paulo Coelho
Brazilian Novelist
Remember your dreams and fight for them. You must know what you want from life. There is just one thing that makes your dream become impossible: the fear of failure.
Quote examples
Joyce Meyer
American Author
It's impossible to live a life totally free of feelings. God created all of us to be emotional creatures, and feelings are a big part of our lives.
Quote examples
Stephen Hawking
English Physicist
Even if it turns out that time travel is impossible, it is important that we understand why it is impossible.
Quote examples
Victor Hugo
French Author
Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.
Quote examples
Venus Williams
American Tennis Player
In life, there is no such thing as impossible; it's always possible.
Quote examples
Leo Tolstoy
Russian Novelist
Without knowing what I am and why I am here, life is impossible.
Quote examples
Anton Chekhov
Russian Dramatist
You must trust and believe in people or life becomes impossible.
Quote examples
Francis Bacon
English Philosopher
It is impossible to love and to be wise.
Example 1 of 10
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