is very impossible

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is very impossible" is not correct in standard English usage.
The word "impossible" already conveys a strong sense of negation, so adding "very" is redundant. Example: "It is impossible to complete the project in one day."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

For that to happen is very impossible and incredible".

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

They're lonely and sad and everything's very impossible.

The Guardian

It's very impossible.

Forbes

It is very likely impossible to get them off".

The Guardian

"Without tourism," lodge owner Kanxa Sherpa says, "our life is very hard – impossible to live".

The Guardian - Travel

This is because more detailed planning is very often impossible.

Visualization in Engineering

It also helps a lot that the paper is very engaging, impossible to put aside before finishing.

Biology Direct

The sceptics will argue this is very unlikely, or impossible.

The Guardian - Opinion

It is very hard, maybe impossible, to imagine being one of those men, still less one of those infants.

The New Yorker

But when the skill is very hard or impossible to measure, then bonuses are prone to lead to undesirable behaviour.

The Guardian - Opinion

"The potential for another disaster is very close to impossible," said the plant's chief, Akira Ono.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "very" with words like "impossible", "unique", or "perfect" as these words already express an absolute state. Instead, use stronger alternatives such as "completely impossible" or rephrase the sentence.

Common error

Don't dilute the impact of words that are already absolute by adding intensifiers like "very". Doing so weakens your writing and makes it sound less precise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is very impossible" functions as a statement expressing the infeasibility of something. However, Ludwig AI indicates that it's grammatically incorrect, as "impossible" already denotes the highest degree of impossibility, thus rendering "very" redundant.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "is very impossible" is grammatically incorrect because "impossible" already implies a maximum degree of impossibility. As Ludwig AI highlights, the addition of "very" is redundant. Although some examples exist across different source types, they are infrequent. For clearer and more impactful writing, consider using alternatives like "is completely impossible" or "is utterly impossible". Avoiding such redundancies will enhance the precision and professionalism of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is completely impossible

Replaces "very" with "completely" for emphasis, correcting the redundancy.

is utterly impossible

Uses "utterly" instead of "very" for a stronger sense of impossibility.

is entirely impossible

Substitutes "very" with "entirely" to highlight the complete lack of possibility.

is simply impossible

Employs "simply" to emphasize the straightforward nature of the impossibility.

is just impossible

Uses "just" to convey a more casual but still firm sense of impossibility.

is virtually impossible

Indicates that something is so close to impossible that it can be considered as such.

is nearly impossible

Suggests a very high degree of difficulty, bordering on impossibility.

is extraordinarily difficult

Shifts the focus to the extreme difficulty rather than absolute impossibility.

is exceptionally challenging

Emphasizes the challenging aspect, implying a high level of difficulty.

is out of the question

Indicates that something is not worth considering because it's not feasible.

FAQs

Why is "is very impossible" considered grammatically incorrect?

The word "impossible" already signifies the highest degree of negation. Adding "very" is redundant because you cannot be more than completely impossible. It's similar to saying "very unique" – uniqueness is an absolute quality.

What are some alternatives to "is very impossible" that I can use in my writing?

Instead of "is very impossible", consider using stronger alternatives like "is completely impossible", "is utterly impossible", or phrases that convey extreme difficulty such as "is extraordinarily difficult".

In what contexts might I encounter the phrase "is very impossible"?

While grammatically incorrect, you might find the phrase "is very impossible" in informal speech or writing where precision is not the primary concern. However, it's best to avoid it in formal or professional contexts.

Is there a subtle difference in meaning between "is impossible" and "is completely impossible"?

While both phrases indicate that something cannot be done, "is completely impossible" emphasizes the totality of the impossibility. It's a way to add extra emphasis when you want to leave no doubt about the infeasibility of something.