impossible to establish

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "impossible to establish" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing situations or conditions that cannot be determined or set up. Example: "Due to the lack of evidence, it is impossible to establish a clear timeline of events."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wikipedia

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

Virology

The New Yorker

The Guardian - Arts

The New York Times - Books

The New York Times - Magazine

The New York Times - Health

Encyclopedia Britannica

The New York Times - Sports

The Guardian - Books

The New York Times

The Guardian

The Economist

Independent

Vice

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Nanoscale Res Lett

SEP

Genus

Jane Dudley, Duchess of Northumberland

Anne Boleyn

Plosone

BMC Endocrine Disorders

BMC Cancer

BMC Nursing

BMC Family Practice

Cardiovascular Diabetology

BMC Medical Education

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Bioinformatics

BMC Medical Ethics

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

Critical Care

Genome Biology and Evolution

British Medical Journal

Cell Death and Disease

BMC Nephrology

BMC Geriatrics

BMC Plant Biology

Environmental Health Perspectives

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Health Research Policy and Systems

British Journal of Cancer

EBioMedicine

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

None of Amir's works are dated, meaning a definite date is impossible to establish.

Wikipedia

However, it is difficult, if not impossible, to establish such relations for high-order PLLs.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

However, it has been impossible to establish long-range evolutionary relationships as sequence homology diminishes.

Virology

(As is often true in such cases, the details may be impossible to establish definitively).

The New Yorker

If you're a woman, it's almost impossible to establish a relationship.

The Guardian - Arts

Causality in this matter is impossible to establish, but I think Sugrue is wrong.

The New York Times - Books

According to Smith, it's impossible to establish who sold the first box of movie popcorn.

The New York Times - Magazine

And the study is retrospective, so conclusions about causation and correlation are impossible to establish.

The New York Times - Health

Since none of Sōtatsu's art was dated, it is impossible to establish a chronology.

Encyclopedia Britannica

While it may be impossible to establish a direct link, Anchorage did not succeed.

The New York Times - Sports

How they relate to actual practice is virtually impossible to establish, but Dabhoiwala will treat them as evidence.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "impossible to establish", ensure that the context clearly indicates the reasons for the impossibility, such as lack of evidence or conflicting information. This adds clarity and strengthens your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "impossible to establish" when the situation only presents significant difficulty, not absolute impossibility. Accurate language enhances credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "impossible to establish" functions as a descriptor, indicating the inability to confirm, prove, or create something. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and frequently encountered across various contexts. It serves to express that something is beyond the realm of determination or substantiation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "impossible to establish" is a grammatically sound expression used to convey the inability to confirm, prove, or create something. Ludwig AI indicates that the expression is correct. It appears frequently in scientific, news, and encyclopedic contexts, highlighting its versatility. While the phrase is best suited for formal writing that calls for objectivity and clarity, writers should be mindful of overstating difficulties as impossibilities. Related alternatives include "cannot be determined", "infeasible to determine", and "not possible to verify".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cannot be determined

States a lack of possibility in determining something.

not possible to verify

Emphasizes a lack of verifiability.

infeasible to determine

Highlights the impracticality of determining something.

unattainable to ascertain

Emphasizes that ascertaining something is not achievable.

unsubstantiated to confirm

Indicates a lack of evidence to support confirmation.

incapable of being proven

Focuses on the inability to provide evidence or verification.

undemonstrable to prove

Highlights the lack of ability to demonstrate or establish proof.

beyond demonstration

Indicates that something is impossible to show or prove.

difficult to ascertain

Highlights a high level of difficulty in determining something.

unlikely to be resolved

Suggests a low probability of resolution or determination.

FAQs

How can I use "impossible to establish" in a sentence?

You can use "impossible to establish" when referring to something that cannot be determined or proven, such as "Due to conflicting accounts, it is impossible to establish the exact sequence of events."

What are some alternatives to "impossible to establish"?

Alternatives include "cannot be determined", "infeasible to determine", or "not possible to verify", depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "impossible to establish"?

Use "impossible to establish" when there is a genuine lack of evidence or insurmountable obstacles preventing something from being determined or proven definitively. Make sure that you are not overstating a 'difficulty' as an 'impossibility'.

Is there a difference between "difficult to establish" and "impossible to establish"?

Yes, "difficult to establish" indicates a challenge or obstacle in determining something, while "impossible to establish" means it is completely unattainable or unachievable. Using "impossible to establish" suggests that all avenues of investigation have been exhausted, and finding a definitive answer is not possible.