impossible
/ɪmˈpɑ.sə.bəl/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.78 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
4
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An impossibility.
noun
A skateboard trick consisting of a backflip performed in midair.
Example Sentences
- "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."
- "It was impoſſible that the queen of France [Marie Antoinette] ſhould not be deeply affected by a conteſt, which ſo cloſely involved her neareſt and deareſt connections, and threatened ſo immediate and perhaps irreparable a breach of the harmony and friendſhip ſubſiſting between them."
- "ALICE: I'm looking for a White Rabbit.... So if you don't mind. (Alice looks through the key hole) There he is - I simply must get through DOORKNOB: Sorry, you're much too big. Simply impassable. ALICE: You mean impossible. DOORKNOB: No, IMPASSABLE - NOTHING'S IMPOSSIBLE."
- "13 March 1962, John F. Kennedy, speech at the White House Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
- "Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures."
- "It is difficult, if not impossible, to memorize 20,000 consecutive numbers."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: impossible
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɪmˈpɑ.sə.bəl/
- British English: /ɪmˈpɒs.ɪ.bəl/
Usage
Inflected Forms
more impossible (comparative)
most impossible (superlative)
inpossible (alternative, obsolete)
impossibles (plural)