Skip to main content
impossibleness

impossibleness

9.1
A state when something cannot happen or be done
  • noun
  • /ɪmˈpɑsəblnəs/
translation icon : imposibilidad
  • The impossibleness of fitting the sofa through the narrow doorway was evident to everyone.

Examples

  • The utter impossibleness of the task deterred even the bravest volunteers.

  • The impossibleness of the task discouraged many people.

  • He spoke at length on the impossibleness of such a theory ever being proven.

  • She smiled at the impossibleness of fitting the sofa through the narrow doorway.

  • Can you believe the impossibleness of that situation?

  • The utter impossibleness of the task deterred even the bravest volunteers.

  • He spoke at length on the impossibleness of such a theory ever being proven.

Synonyms

impossibility
vsimpossibleness
37 5.3

A situation in which something cannot happen

is about inability to exist or occur rather than mere practical failure
impossible
vsimpossibleness
1 4.3

Something that cannot be done or achieved

is broader and notes inability to exist or occur beyond single tasks
infeasibility
vsimpossibleness
1 8.5

A situation where something cannot be done or is not practical

is about inability to exist or occur rather than mere impracticality
unattainability
vsimpossibleness
9.0

A state of not being able to reach or get something

is about inability to exist or occur rather than focusing on reaching or obtaining
unattainableness
vsimpossibleness
9.2

The state of being impossible to reach or get

is about inability to exist or occur rather than failure to reach goals
unfeasibility
vsimpossibleness
9.3

The fact that something cannot be done

is about inability to exist or occur rather than only not being doable
inviability
vsimpossibleness
8.5

A situation that is impossible or too difficult to make work

is about inability to exist or occur rather than practical failure to succeed

Antonyms

2.0

A chance that something may happen

How Possible

certainty
  • Literature
202 3.4
probability
473 3.6
possibility
2.0
unlikelihood
1 6.9
impossibleness
9.1

Surface Forms

Morphology

impossibleness = impossible (transparent) = im + possible + ness

Formed by adding the productive nominal suffix '-ness' to the clearly negative adjective 'impossible', yielding 'state or quality of being impossible'.

Etymology

Impossibleness is built from the parts im- ('not') and possible ('able to happen'), the same pieces you see in possible and impossible. So, impossibleness names the quality of being 'not able' to exist or happen.