impossible

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

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

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impossibleness

noun

See impossible defined for English-language learners

See impossible defined for kids

Examples of impossible in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of impossible from the Web

This makes them nearly impossible to ignore, an economic asset capable of serious disruption.

— mankaprr conteh, Essence.com, "How Black Women Supporting Colin Kaepernick May Force The NFL's Hand," 23 Aug. 2017
But professional baseball teams play nearly every day, and hockey and basketball teams play multiple times in a week, making regular head-to-head matchups in those fantasy leagues nearly impossible.

— patrick cooley, cleveland.com, "What's the appeal of fantasy football? Here's what players say keeps them drafting, trading and updating those lineups," 21 Aug. 2017
However, that broad goal is impossible without allies in government, and the left is not spoiled for choice.

— sarah jones, New Republic, "Can Any Democratic Candidate Satisfy the Left?," 11 Aug. 2017
I was offered a job before graduation, a feat considered impossible by those who look down on English majors.

— kate gardner, Teen Vogue, "Why You Should Choose Your College Major for You and Not Anyone Else," 8 Aug. 2017
Impossible planes—Photoshopped Frankenstein aircraft with dozens of engines or ludicrous, bulbous fuselages—are all over YouTube.

— eric limer, Popular Mechanics, "The Incredible, Impossible, Fake Airliners of YouTube," 7 Aug. 2017
Polly, who is loosely based on the real-life Xiu Ping Jiang, must navigate a series of difficult to impossible choices.

— steve wieberg, kansascity, "Immigrant is imprisoned, her son taken: Fictional ‘Leavers’ is based on woeful fact," 4 Aug. 2017
South Asia, where one-fifth of the world's people live, could face summer heat waves that are impossible to survive without protection, thanks to global warming, new research suggests.

— National Geographic, "Parts of Asia May Be Too Hot for People by 2100," 2 Aug. 2017
Beach riding so far has fluctuated between firm and fast to an unconsolidated mess that sometimes seems impossible to ride.

— bjorn olson, Alaska Dispatch News, "Pedaling through fierce winds, from Point Hope to Utqiagvik," 30 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'impossible.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of impossible

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

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First Known Use: 14th century

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impossible Synonyms

IMPOSSIBLE Defined for English Language Learners

impossible

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adjective

Definition of impossible for English Language Learners

: unable to be done or to happen : not possible
: very difficult
of a person : very difficult to deal with : very irritating or annoying

IMPOSSIBLE Defined for Kids

impossible

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adjective im·pos·si·ble \ im-ˈpä-sə-bəl \

Definition of impossible for Students

1 :incapable of being or of occurring :not possible

The noise makes it impossible to concentrate.

2 :very difficult

These math problems are impossible!

3 :very bad or unpleasant

She is impossible to deal with.

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impossibly

\-blē\ adverb

Law Dictionary

impossible

adjective im·pos·si·ble

legal Definition of impossible

:not possible :incapable of being done, attained, or fulfilled

a party's performance is impossible in part

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See words that rhyme with impossible Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for impossible Spanish Central: Translation of impossible Nglish: Translation of impossible for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of impossible for Arabic speakers

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Origin and Etymology of impossible

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IMPOSSIBLE Defined for English Language Learners

impossible

Definition of impossible for English Language Learners

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impossibly

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impossible

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