impossibility
Americannoun
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the state or quality of being impossible
-
something that is impossible
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of impossibility
1350–1400; Middle English impossibilite < Late Latin impossibilitās. See im- 2, possibility
Explanation
An impossibility is something that can never, ever happen. Eating ice cream without getting a stomach ache afterward is an impossibility for people who are lactose intolerant. You might start to suspect the impossibility of finding an affordable apartment in New York once you start looking for one, or fear the impossibility that you'll ever pass your French class if you struggle with conjugating verbs. When something's impossible, it can't happen or exist, and an impossibility is impossible. Both words come from the Latin impossibilis, "not possible," from the roots im-, "not," and possibilis, "that can be done."
Vocabulary lists containing impossibility
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But beyond the material hardships, many describe a similar feeling: the impossibility of unplugging from their problems.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
Without equal citizenship, equal voting rights, and equal opportunity to elect representatives of one’s choice, republican government was an impossibility.
From Slate ● Jun. 3, 2026
Not only are the Lakers facing an historical impossibility — you’ll remember that NBA teams leading three-games-to-none are 161-0 — but they’re already bearing the weight of an historical humiliation.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 10, 2026
Mangione’s reasons succinctly reflect a society where consistently reliable healthcare is a virtual impossibility without millions of dollars at your disposal.
From Salon ● Apr. 29, 2026
His brain delighted at the impossibility of this, at the sheer coincidence that that tiny, serious girl in the blue lehenga now sat opposite him, looking at his sketch pad.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
When it comes to Ronaldo, his compatriots have learned that, as he usually says, "there are no impossibilities".
From BBC ● Feb. 5, 2025
The Los Angeles Times investigation concluded that he did not, based on interviews with more than a dozen former Frito-Lay employees, company records and some glaring inconsistencies — nay, impossibilities — in his story.
From New York Times ● Jun. 9, 2023
A revival of “The Serpent” is close to impossible, but the pursuit of impossibilities can reveal new horizons.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2021
Mobeen Rathore, a professor of pediatrics and the chief of Infectious Diseases and Immunology at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville, said Centner’s claims about coronavirus vaccine “shedding” are biological impossibilities.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 26, 2021
The physical impossibilities in no way injured faith.
From "Their Eyes Were Watching God" by Zora Neale Hurston
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
