Word
impossibly
Phoneticsim·pos·si·bly, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪmˈpɑsəbɫi/
UK/ɪmpˈɒsəbli/
Definition
adv. in a way that is very difficult or impossible to do. You use this when something seems so hard that you think it cannot be done at all.
adv. in a manner that is extremely difficult or impossible to achieve. Often used to emphasize the degree of difficulty or the impossibility of a situation.
Examples
“The task is impossibly difficult for a beginner.”
“The mountain peak was impossibly high, making the climb seem like a dream rather than a reality.”
“The architect's vision was impossibly ambitious for the budget, requiring materials and labor that the city council could not afford to provide.”
Examples
simple
“The task is impossibly difficult for a beginner.”
contextual
“The mountain peak was impossibly high, making the climb seem like a dream rather than a reality.”
complex
“The architect's vision was impossibly ambitious for the budget, requiring materials and labor that the city council could not afford to provide.”
Real-World Examples
“Lowanro City’s skyline is dominated by an oppressive clock tower, silhouetted against a moody red sky and an impossibly large, ominous moon.” “This was the point where the project stopped feeling fun and started feeling impossibly hard.” Etymology
From impossible + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/impossibly