unachievable

Examples

• All

• Other oil industry experts believe that even this modest increase is unachievable.

  Academic text (2009)

• We can see such developments in Canada, but in the United States, they may be unachievable.

  Academic text (1990)

• I just don't want any of you guys to want something in life and feel like it's unachievable because it's not.

• So we're setting a lot of fundamentally unachievable societal standards for men.

• Even if this were a desirable result, it would probably be unachievable for school teachers planning curricula.

  Academic text (1992)

• The bank embraces an unachievable vision instead of an operational mission because it is under pressure from many different constituencies.

  Academic text (2001)

• Human ideals can be put into two categories: achievable and unachievable.

  Academic text (1991)

• Many people feel that achieving world peace is an unachievable goal.

• Setting unachievable targets can lead to frustration and decreased motivation.

• Some athletes find that reaching the peak of their performance can seem unachievable after an injury.

Synonyms

I

insurmountable

vsunachievable

33 8.5

Impossible to get past

applies to barriers that block progress rather than general impossibility of success

I

inaccessible

vsunachievable

28 7.9

Not able to be reached, used, or understood

covers physical or mental inaccessibility, not just inability to achieve a goal

U

unattainable

vsunachievable

18 6.3

Not possible to get or reach

is the general term stressing impossibility of accomplishing a goal

U

unreachable

vsunachievable

15 4.9

Too difficult to get to because of where or how it is

limits impossibility mainly to physical access rather than overall achievement

U

unobtainable

vsunachievable

7 6.1

Impossible to get

highlights impossibility to attain an objective rather than mere difficulty getting it

U

unfeasible

vsunachievable

4 6.8

Not possible to do or make work

stresses impracticality rather than absolute impossibility to reach the result

U

untouchable

vsunachievable

3 7.7

Too difficult for people to reach or get

focuses on being beyond access rather than the broader idea of not achievable

I

infeasible

vsunachievable

2 7.2

Not possible to do or make happen

emphasizes practical barriers more than pure impossibility to achieve

U

unviable

vsunachievable

2 6.4

Not able to succeed or continue, for example a project

relates to failing to thrive or continue rather than one single impossible result

U

undoable

vsunachievable

1 4.9

Not possible to do because of little time or no help

is used when something cannot be achieved rather than merely very hard

N

nonviable

vsunachievable

1 7.8

Not able to live, develop, or succeed

emphasizes lack of survival or growth rather than simple impossibility to achieve

U

unrealizable

vsunachievable

• US

1 8.5

Impossible to do or make real

is about impossibility of outcome rather than mere difficulty of doing it

U

unfulfillable

vsunachievable

1 8.7

Impossible to do or make happen

refers to not being achievable in outcome rather than only process limits

U

unsurmountable

vsunachievable

1 8.1

Impossible to overcome or get past, like a problem you cannot solve

focuses on overcoming barriers rather than inability to achieve a specific aim

I

inviable

vsunachievable

1 8.2

Not able to continue or be successful

means inability to continue or work properly rather than being impossible to achieve

U

unfinishable

vsunachievable

6.6

Impossible to finish

focuses on inability to reach final completion rather than early progress

U

unprocurable

vsunachievable

9.9

Not possible to find or buy

speaks of inability to achieve results rather than just failure to obtain goods

U

un-get-at-able

vsunachievable

• Informal

9.9

Hard to reach or achieve

marks impossibility to accomplish rather than only difficulty of access

Antonyms

A

achievable

33 3.2

Can be done successfully

A

attainable

17 3.9

Possible to achieve or reach

How Achievable

achievable

33 3.2

difficult

∞ 1.6

unachievable

3 6.3

impossible

∞ 1.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology