impossible to happen

USAGE SUMMARY

"impossible to happen" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express that something is not likely to occur. For example: "It seems impossible to happen, but I have a feeling something good is about to come my way."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The title object is a gift from the author to himself: it allows something impossible to happen (2 15).

The New York Times

Joseph Muscat, the Maltese prime minister, said that most of his counterparts would like the "almost impossible" to happen.

The Times

Republicans have yet to work on the underlying dynamics that got their party into these struggles in the first place: a growing number of lawmakers who want the impossible to happen and won't settle for anything less.

The Washington Post

However, it is also noteworthy that the successive estimation errors of are almost impossible to happen; so our analysis only provides a loose low bound for sensing performance with state estimation errors under high detection probability.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

That is to say, the effective rate of the TAVT model is 99.51%.The proportion of scoring '1' accounted for 0.49%, which can be considered a small probability event that is almost impossible to happen in one experiment.

EURASIP Journal on Image and Video Processing

It's impossible to happen.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

I thought it was an impossible thing to happen.

The New York Times

"That was like an impossible thing to happen but here we are today and it's happening".

Independent

They are able to cause apparently impossible things to happen merely because they are no longer confined by the barriers which exist for more ordinary people".

The Guardian - Sport

The play begins with a rapid scene involving a botched surveillance operation at a London swimming pool, in which something visually impossible seems to happen.

The Guardian

It's almost impossible to find out what is happening inside the tribal area now.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "impossible to happen" when you want to emphasize a very low probability or complete lack of feasibility. This phrase is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but consider more sophisticated synonyms for academic or scientific writing.

Common error

While grammatically sound, relying too heavily on "impossible to happen" in formal contexts can make your writing seem simplistic. Opt for synonyms like "unachievable" or "infeasible" for a more polished tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "impossible to happen" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying an implied or stated noun. It expresses the extreme improbability or infeasibility of an event. As Ludwig AI has identified, it's a grammatically correct phrase.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "impossible to happen" is a grammatically sound expression used to convey the extremely low or non-existent probability of an event. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is acceptable in written English, with the caution that more sophisticated alternatives may be preferable in formal or scientific contexts. While "uncommon" in overall frequency, the phrase finds primary usage in news, media, and scientific domains. For variety and greater impact, consider related phrases such as "cannot occur" or "will not come to pass". Remember to adapt your choice of phrasing to the specific context and audience to ensure clarity and stylistic appropriateness.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cannot occur

Replaces "happen" with "occur", maintaining the core meaning but with a slightly more formal tone.

cannot take place

Substitutes "happen" with "take place", offering a more descriptive and formal alternative.

is not going to happen

Uses a more colloquial and direct phrasing to indicate impossibility.

will not come to pass

Replaces the simpler verb "happen" with the more elaborate "come to pass", increasing formality and emphasis.

won't ever happen

Adds emphasis on the duration, stressing that the event will never occur.

has no chance of occurring

Emphasizes the lack of probability, highlighting the zero chance of the event taking place.

is not feasible

Shifts the focus to feasibility rather than occurrence, implying that the event is impractical or unachievable.

is unachievable

Focuses on the lack of attainability, suggesting that the event is beyond reach.

is out of the question

Indicates that the event is not even worth considering, implying a firm rejection of its possibility.

stands no prospect

Highlights the absence of any favorable outlook or possibility for the event.

FAQs

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

You can use "impossible to happen" to describe something that has a very low probability of occurring. For example, "It's "impossible to happen" that all the lottery numbers will be in sequence".

What are some alternatives to "impossible to happen"?

Alternatives to "impossible to happen" include "unlikely to occur", "cannot happen", or "inconceivable", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "impossible to happen"?

Yes, "impossible to happen" is grammatically correct and understandable. However, it is often more impactful to use stronger synonyms in formal writing.

What is the difference between "unlikely to happen" and "impossible to happen"?

"Unlikely to happen" suggests a low probability, while "impossible to happen" suggests zero probability. The former implies that something might occur but is improbable, whereas the latter suggests it simply cannot occur under any circumstances.