impossible

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adjective im·pos·si·ble \(ˌ)im-ˈpä-sə-bəl\

: unable to be done or to happen : not possible

: very difficult

of a person : very difficult to deal with : very irritating or annoying

Full Definition of IMPOSSIBLE

1

a :  incapable of being or of occurring

b :  felt to be incapable of being done, attained, or fulfilled :  insuperably difficult <an impossible deadline>

2

a :  extremely undesirable :  unacceptable

b :  extremely awkward or difficult to deal with <the actor was impossible on the set>

— im·pos·si·ble·ness noun

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Examples of IMPOSSIBLE

1. It's impossible to predict the future.
2. The heavy rain made it impossible to see the road.
3. It's physically impossible for a child to lift that much at once.
4. It's virtually impossible to book a flight just before the holiday.
5. These math problems are impossible!
6. You refuse to help and then criticize me for not doing it right? You're impossible!
7. My boss is just an impossible woman.

Origin of IMPOSSIBLE

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin impossibilis, from in- + possibilis possible

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to IMPOSSIBLE

Synonyms

hopeless, insoluble, insolvable, insuperable, unattainable, undoable, unrealizable, unsolvable

Antonyms

achievable, attainable, doable, feasible, possible, realizable, resolvable, soluble, workable

Related Words

impracticable, impractical, infeasible, unusable, unworkable; debatable, disputable, doubtable, doubtful, dubious, far-fetched, fishy, improbable, problematic (also problematical), questionable, shady, shaky, suspect, suspicious, unfeasible, unlikely; implausible, inconceivable, incredible, unbelievable, unimaginable, unthinkable; futile, useless; absurd, fantastic (also fantastical), outlandish, preposterous, ridiculous

Near Antonyms

applicable, functional, practicable, practical, reasonable, serviceable, usable (also useable), useful, working; likely, probable; acceptable, believable, conceivable, credible, plausible

Rhymes with IMPOSSIBLE

cognoscible, embossable