impossible to overstate

USAGE SUMMARY

"impossible to overstate" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is used to express that something is of great importance, and that it cannot be overstated. For example: "The importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is impossible to overstate."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Hamilton's influence is almost impossible to overstate.

The Guardian

It is impossible to overstate the importance of Garnett.

The New York Times - Sports

It's impossible to overstate the influence of Kahneman and Tversky.

The New Yorker

It would be impossible to overstate the usefulness of string.

The New Yorker

It may be impossible to overstate Harp's enthusiasm for baseball.

The New York Times - Sports

It's impossible to overstate how mind blowing this majority was.

The Guardian - Opinion

It's impossible to overstate how unpleasant this woman is.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

It's impossible to overstate the importance of this debate.

The New York Times - Books

It is impossible to overstate how serious this was.

The New York Times

And that is a privilege that's impossible to overstate".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

It is impossible to overstate the size of that task.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "impossible to overstate" to emphasize the crucial nature of a fact, event, or impact. It is particularly effective when you want to convey that something's significance is so great that any attempt to amplify it would still be accurate.

Common error

Avoid using "impossible to overstate" when you simply mean something is 'important' or 'significant'. This phrase is reserved for situations where the importance is truly exceptional and profound.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "impossible to overstate" functions as an intensifier, typically modifying a noun phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. It emphasizes the extreme significance or importance of something, suggesting it is beyond exaggeration.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "impossible to overstate" is a powerful way to emphasize the significance of something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and widely used, particularly in news and media. When using this phrase, ensure that the importance of the subject truly warrants such strong emphasis. While alternatives exist, such as "impossible to overestimate" or "cannot be emphasized enough", "impossible to overstate" carries a unique weight and should be used judiciously. The phrase is neutral to formal and effectively communicates the critical nature of a subject.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

impossible to overestimate

Highlights that the true value or impact is so significant that it's challenging to fully appreciate its magnitude.

cannot be emphasized enough

Directly states that the importance of something requires constant and repeated highlighting.

tremendously important

Uses a stronger word to convey great significance.

impossible to exaggerate

Focuses on the idea that any attempt to describe something in stronger terms would still fall short.

critically important

Implies that something is essential and vital for success or well-being.

highly significant

Highlights the importance and impact of something.

of paramount importance

Emphasizes the supreme importance of something, suggesting it takes precedence over other considerations.

of utmost importance

Highlights the supreme significance or criticality of something.

hugely consequential

Emphasizes the far-reaching and important effects of something.

difficult to comprehend the extent of

Emphasizes the challenge in fully grasping the scope or degree of something.

FAQs

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

The phrase "impossible to overstate" is used to emphasize the significance of something. For example, you could say, "It's "impossible to overstate" the importance of early childhood education".

What can I say instead of "impossible to overstate"?

You can use alternatives like "impossible to overestimate", "cannot be emphasized enough", or "critically important" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "difficult to overstate" or "impossible to overstate"?

"Impossible to overstate" implies a higher degree of significance than "difficult to overstate". "Difficult to overstate" suggests it is hard to exaggerate, whereas "impossible to overstate" suggests any attempt to amplify its importance would still be accurate.

What's the difference between "impossible to overstate" and "impossible to underestimate"?

"Impossible to overstate" is used when something's importance is so great that any attempt to amplify it would still be accurate, while "impossible to underestimate" means something is much greater or more important than people realize.