Impossible

//ɪmˈpɑ.sə.bəl// adj, noun, slang

adj, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    An impossibility.

    "In fact, to most people, the real impossibles do not seem impossible, or wonderful, or even difficult at all."

  2. 2
    something that cannot be done wordnet
  3. 3
    A skateboard trick consisting of a backflip performed in midair.
Adjective
  1. 1
    Not possible; not able to be done or happen. not-comparable, usually

    "Antonio: What impossible matter will he make easy next? Sebastian: I think he will carry this island home in his pocket and give it his son for an apple. Antonio : And sowing the kernels of it in the sea bring forth more islands."

  2. 2
    Very difficult to deal with. colloquial, not-comparable, usually

    "You never listen to a word I say – you're impossible!"

  3. 3
    imaginary dated, not-comparable, usually

    "impossible quantities, or imaginary numbers"

Adjective
  1. 1
    not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with wordnet
  2. 2
    totally unlikely wordnet
  3. 3
    (used of persons or their behavior) not acceptable or reasonable wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms
hopelessimpracticableunacceptableunachievableabsurdabsurdity

Example

More examples

"It's impossible for me to explain it to you."

Etymology

From Middle English impossible, equivalent to im- + possible.

Related phrases

ask the impossibledo the impossibleimpossible bottleimpossible colorimpossible dipimpossible dreamimpossible driveimpossible eventimpossible forkimpossible pieimpossible storyimpossible trident

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.