impossible to find

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "impossible to find" is correct and commonly used in written English.
It is used to describe something that is very difficult or almost impossible to locate or discover. Example: "The missing key was impossible to find, even after searching the entire house."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

But these are almost impossible to find.

The Economist

It's impossible to find on Google.

The New Yorker

And it's impossible to find.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"Interpreters are impossible to find.

The New York Times

It's impossible to find words".

The Guardian - Sport

Detailed maps are almost impossible to find.

The New York Times - Travel

It was impossible to find photocopy machines".

The New York Times

Cooking gas is almost impossible to find.

The Guardian

If Greece defaults it will be impossible to find oil, impossible to find medicines.

The Guardian

Unfortunately, ASCII keyboards are all but impossible to find.

Apple I Replica Creation Back to the Garage

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

8K content is pretty much…impossible to find right now.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "impossible to find", ensure the context clearly indicates what efforts have been made to search for the item or information. This adds credibility to the statement.

Common error

Avoid using "impossible to find" when something is merely difficult to locate. Reserve the phrase for situations where extensive efforts have yielded no results, otherwise, use less absolute alternatives.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "impossible to find" functions primarily as an adjectival phrase. It modifies a noun, describing something that is very difficult or cannot be located, discovered, or obtained. As Ludwig AI confirms, this expression is widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

47%

Science

19%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Academia

6%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "impossible to find" is a very common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe something extremely difficult or unachievable to locate. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and wide acceptance. It appears frequently in news and media, scientific, and wiki contexts. When using this phrase, ensure the context justifies the strength of the statement, avoiding overstatement when something is merely difficult, not entirely impossible, to find. Consider alternatives such as "difficult to locate" or "hard to find" when appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cannot be found

Replaces "impossible" with "cannot", indicating an inability to find something.

unable to be located

Changes the active verb to a passive construction, emphasizing the state of being unlocatable.

extremely hard to locate

Substitutes "impossible" with "extremely hard", softening the absolute nature of the statement.

nowhere to be found

Indicates a complete absence, suggesting the item is not present in any location.

virtually undetectable

Shifts the focus to detection rather than finding, implying something is almost impossible to perceive.

untraceable

Implies that the item cannot be traced or followed, suggesting difficulty in locating it through a path.

hidden from sight

Focuses on visual obstruction, indicating the item is concealed.

beyond reach

Shifts the focus from physical location to accessibility, implying the item is unattainable.

lost without a trace

Emphasizes the disappearance of something without any clues or evidence of its whereabouts.

gone missing

Simply states that something is missing, without specifying the difficulty in finding it.

FAQs

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

You can use "impossible to find" to describe something that is very difficult or seemingly unachievable to locate. For example: "The rare book was "impossible to find" in any local bookstore."

What's a less absolute alternative to "impossible to find"?

If you want to express difficulty without stating complete impossibility, consider using phrases like "difficult to locate", "hard to find", or "challenging to discover".

Is it correct to say "almost impossible to find"?

Yes, "almost impossible to find" is a correct and commonly used phrase. It softens the absolute nature of ""impossible to find"" indicating something is extremely difficult but not entirely unachievable.

What's the difference between "impossible to find" and "unable to find"?

"Impossible to find" suggests a higher degree of difficulty, implying that the task is virtually unachievable. "Unable to find" simply means that you have not yet succeeded in locating something, without necessarily implying it's an impossible task.