inherently impossible

USAGE SUMMARY

"inherently impossible" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is not capable of being done, no matter the particular circumstances. For example, "The physics of time travel are inherently impossible."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

Winston Churchill's biographer, Professor John Charmley, the head of history at the University of East Anglia, believes there is "nothing inherently impossible" about Ms Noonan's story.

Independent

It's also striking how often their children, though they may be self-serving and rebellious in other respects and relations, shoulder the burden of making such mothers complete — giving them an enhanced reality — and perhaps that task, inherently impossible to finish, is fundamental to art.

The New Yorker

Forecasts remain however affected by uncertainty as an exact prognosis of water levels is inherently impossible.

Journal of Hydrology

However, in some application scenarios, unique identification is inherently impossible or is prevented by highly restrictive size and energy constraints imposed on the wireless autonomous agents.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

However, in certain application cases, unique identification is either inherently impossible, such as in multiple-source localization, or infeasible because of application-specific constraints.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Some went so far as to question whether HSBC is so large and complex that it is inherently impossible to govern.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

Because the mind of another person is inherently mutable and impossible to perceive directly, inferences about human minds may be fundamentally more ambiguous than inferences about our inanimate, physical surroundings (Mitchell forthcoming).

Cerebral Cortex

It's like skinny dipping in a swamp – inherently unsexy, but somehow impossible to resist.

Vice

Thus, SNP assignment to genes and pathways is inherently difficult, but not impossible, in a reiterative approach and strategy as described here.

Environmental Health Perspectives

While detailed predictions of the effect of random drift-based processes on genetic diversity are inherently difficult if not impossible to make, it should at least be possible to forecast the potential loss of genetic diversity associated with projected population extinctions or range shifts.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

And, honestly, it's a pleasure to see a startup tackling such a big problem, in spite of the fact that it's inherently complex, thorny and nearly impossible to solve.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "inherently impossible", ensure that the context clearly demonstrates that the impossibility stems from the very nature of the subject, not from external factors or temporary limitations.

Common error

Avoid using "inherently impossible" to describe tasks that are merely very difficult or challenging. This phrase should be reserved for situations where the task is fundamentally and unconditionally unachievable, not just currently impractical.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "inherently impossible" functions as an adjectival modifier, describing something that is fundamentally and unconditionally unachievable. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. Examples show it modifies concepts or goals.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Science

55%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "inherently impossible" is used to describe situations where an outcome is fundamentally unachievable due to its very nature, a fact confirmed by Ludwig AI. Appearing frequently in news and science articles, it's crucial to use the term when the impossibility is intrinsic and not due to circumstantial factors. Related phrases include "intrinsically unattainable" and "fundamentally unachievable". Ensure its accurate application to avoid overstating the difficulty of a task.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

intrinsically unattainable

Focuses on the intrinsic qualities that prevent attainment.

fundamentally unachievable

Emphasizes the basic, underlying reasons for being unachievable.

categorically unfeasible

Highlights a clear and definite lack of feasibility.

by nature undoable

Suggests the task is against the laws of nature.

constitutionally incapable

Indicates an inherent lack of capacity or ability.

essentially unrealizable

Highlights that the concept cannot be made real in practice.

naturally precluded

Focuses on the natural barriers that prevent success.

absolutely insurmountable

Emphasizes the inability to overcome the obstacles.

patently unworkable

Highlights the obvious and evident impracticality.

unavoidably infeasible

Focuses on the unavoidable circumstances that make the task unfeasible.

FAQs

How can I use "inherently impossible" in a sentence?

Use "inherently impossible" to describe situations where success is precluded by the nature of things. For example, "Achieving absolute fairness in wealth distribution is "inherently impossible" due to differing abilities and efforts."

What are some alternatives to "inherently impossible"?

You can use alternatives like "intrinsically unattainable", "fundamentally unachievable", or "categorically unfeasible" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say something is 'partially inherently impossible'?

The phrase "inherently impossible" implies a complete impossibility, so adding "partially" creates a contradiction. It's better to say something is "extremely difficult" or "nearly impossible" if the impossibility isn't absolute.

What's the difference between "inherently impossible" and "practically impossible"?

"Inherently impossible" means the impossibility stems from the fundamental nature of the subject, while "practically impossible" means the impossibility arises from current circumstances or limitations, which could potentially change. One is fundamental and the other is circumstantial.