hardly impossible

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hardly impossible" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is used to suggest that something is very difficult or almost impossible to do. For example, "Climbing Mount Everest is hardly impossible, and very few have achieved that feat."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Books

Sports

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

23 human-written examples

But hardly impossible.

The New York Times

That still seems unlikely, though hardly impossible.

The New York Times

It is hardly impossible to find more money for infrastructure.

The Economist

Countries remain armed and hostile, so war is hardly impossible.

The New York Times

Doing so will be hard, but hardly impossible.

The New York Times

Gregory, as a figure, was challenging, misguided, and sadly wasted, but provocative and hardly impossible.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

If both the Panthers and the Steelers were to win next Sunday, hardly an impossible daily double, Super Bowl XL at Detroit's Ford Field on Feb. 5 would be the first all-wild-card showdown.

The New York Times

Typically, in real world PAT applications, underwater acoustic signals are generated by various moving sources whose number and positions are hardly, (or impossible), to be identified, (as in the case of shoal of fish or wave noises).

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Another DeepMind NHS collaboration, with Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, does not involve patient identifiable data — although the nature of the data being shared (detailed biometric eye scans) means it would hardly be impossible to link scans to individuals should there be a data leak.

TechCrunch

Although we're hardly recreating Mission Impossible, it is still quite a thrill.

The Guardian - Travel

There is a striation in his mighty sound, the streaks of time passing, hardly disabling but impossible to miss.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hardly impossible" to express that something is difficult or unlikely, but still within the realm of possibility. It's more nuanced than saying something is simply 'possible' or 'impossible'.

Common error

Avoid using "hardly impossible" when you mean something is likely or probable. The phrase implies a significant challenge or low probability, so reserve it for situations where the outcome is genuinely uncertain.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly impossible" functions as an adjective phrase that modifies a noun or pronoun, expressing a qualified possibility. Ludwig indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Social Media

5%

Academia

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hardly impossible" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression that suggests something is difficult or unlikely, but not entirely out of reach. As noted by Ludwig, it's a correct and useful way to convey a nuanced degree of possibility. The phrase appears most often in news and media contexts, and has a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal communication. While alternatives exist, "hardly impossible" offers a precise way to temper expectations while still acknowledging potential.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not out of the question

Emphasizes that while unlikely, the possibility exists.

not entirely infeasible

Uses a double negative to highlight a small possibility of success.

within the realm of possibility

Indicates something falls inside the boundaries of what could happen.

barely achievable

Emphasizes the slight chance of success, focusing on the difficulty.

just about feasible

Highlights that something is possible, but only by a very small margin.

remotely possible

Suggests a distant or unlikely chance of occurring.

slightly plausible

Highlights that something has a slight chance of being believed or accepted.

conceivably attainable

Focuses on the idea that the goal can be imagined or thought of as achievable, even if difficult.

theoretically achievable

Focuses on the idea that something can be achieved in theory, though perhaps not in practice.

potentially viable

Suggests the possibility of success or sustainability.

FAQs

How can I use "hardly impossible" in a sentence?

Use "hardly impossible" to indicate that something is difficult but still achievable. For example, "Winning the lottery is "not impossible", but it's "hardly impossible" either".

What does "hardly impossible" mean?

The phrase "hardly impossible" means that something is difficult or unlikely, but still possible. It suggests a challenge, but not an insurmountable one.

What are some alternatives to saying "hardly impossible"?

You can use phrases like "not entirely infeasible", "remotely possible", or "within the realm of possibility" as alternatives to "hardly impossible".

Is it better to say "not impossible" or "hardly impossible"?

Both phrases convey possibility, but "hardly impossible" suggests a greater degree of difficulty or unlikelihood compared to ""not impossible"". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.