hardly possible to

USAGE SUMMARY

"hardly possible to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something is very difficult or nearly impossible to do. For example: "It is hardly possible to find a place to park in downtown during rush hour."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Even when such systems are carefully managed, it is hardly possible to have a detailed knowledge about every user and all of his possibilities to interact with the system based on assigned permissions.

EURASIP Journal on Information Security

However, until now it was hardly possible to reliably estimate plant-available N in soil microsites.

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

They had no official invitation, but it was hardly possible to prevent them from coming.

The New York Times

Not all aspects of a dean's job bring smiles; it's hardly possible to please everyone all the time.

University of California, Berkeley

However, it is hardly possible to separate the URD and MFDF effects in a practical multi-circuit outdoor coil.

Applied Thermal Engineering

And both help to create an atmosphere in which it is hardly possible to be too stridently Muslim.

The Economist

It is hardly possible to pick up a newspaper these days without confronting a story about the decline — the understandable decline — in charitable giving.

Columbia University

However, having the large amounts of data, it is hardly possible to process it manually and it also takes a long time to read all product reviews.

Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences

It is hardly possible to name all of Pestalozzi's disciples the Pestalozzians for almost all the pedagogical figures of his time literally or figuratively went to his school.

Britannica

It is hardly possible to doubt that this great elevation has been effected by successive small uprisings … by an insensibly slow rise.

The New Yorker

From Lord Falconer to Lorraine Kelly it is hardly possible to move in public life without bumping into a Scot or six.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "hardly possible to", ensure the context clearly indicates the high degree of difficulty or near impossibility you wish to convey. Avoid using it in situations where something is merely challenging, but still reasonably achievable.

Common error

Avoid using "hardly possible to" when a task is simply difficult or requires effort. This phrase implies a near-impossibility, so using it for commonplace challenges weakens its impact and may mislead your reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly possible to" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a verb. It indicates a low probability or near impossibility of achieving a certain action or outcome, as confirmed by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

69%

News & Media

21%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hardly possible to" is a versatile phrase used to convey a high degree of difficulty or near impossibility. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically correct and widely accepted in written English. Predominantly found in scientific and news contexts, it functions as an adjectival phrase to express doubt or skepticism about achieving a particular outcome. When using this phrase, make sure that the impossibility is accurate. Alternatives such as "scarcely possible to" or "almost impossible to" can provide similar meaning with subtle variations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scarcely possible to

Replaces "hardly" with "scarcely", maintaining the same meaning and level of formality.

barely possible to

Substitutes "hardly" with "barely", indicating a minimal chance of success.

almost impossible to

Replaces "hardly possible" with "almost impossible", emphasizing the high degree of difficulty.

virtually impossible to

Uses "virtually impossible" to highlight the near impossibility of something.

next to impossible to

Emphasizes the difficulty by stating it's "next to impossible".

highly improbable to

Changes the structure to focus on the improbability of the event.

unlikely to be able to

Shifts the focus to the lack of ability and low probability.

not realistically possible to

Adds realism to the impossibility.

difficult to the point of impossibility

Expands on the difficulty to emphasize its extreme nature.

presents significant challenges to

Focuses on the challenges involved making something happen instead of focusing on the impossibility.

FAQs

How can I use "hardly possible to" in a sentence?

Use "hardly possible to" to describe situations that are extremely difficult or nearly impossible to achieve. For example, "It's hardly possible to get tickets to the concert now that it's sold out."

What are some alternatives to "hardly possible to"?

You can use alternatives like "scarcely possible to", "almost impossible to", or "virtually impossible to" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more appropriate to say "hardly possible to" or "not possible to"?

"Hardly possible to" implies a very low probability or extreme difficulty, whereas "not possible to" suggests absolute impossibility. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the situation.

When should I avoid using the phrase "hardly possible to"?

Avoid using "hardly possible to" when describing something that is merely difficult or challenging, but not nearly impossible. Overusing the phrase can dilute its impact and make your writing sound hyperbolic. Use "difficult to" instead.