it is only conceivable to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it is only conceivable to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing something that can only be imagined or thought of in a specific context. Example: "In this scenario, it is only conceivable to assume that the outcome will be favorable."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Thus, it is only conceivable to use these compounds in combination with particle carriers.

BioMed Research International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Perhaps it is only conceivable, and not really possible, that there are zombies or inverted qualia.

Encyclopedia Britannica

My first bra was the grayish-white of recycled paper, and it's only conceivable purpose was to add warmth beneath my matching tunic and stirrup-leggings ensembles -- there definitely wasn't anything to support back then.

Huffington Post

The implementation of individual screening is only conceivable if a large amount of information is given to prescribing physicians.

Annals of Oncology

However, the importance of oncotic pressure in the limitation of flux is only conceivable if the barrier is intact.

Annals of Intensive Care

So, of course, attempting the list myself feels like the right thing to do; it's the only conceivable way to banish all those nagging regrets that keep me up at night.

Vice

At present, given the high percentage of IEA associations in GO, it is not conceivable to discard them and consider only those manually-curated.

Plosone

It is not only conceivable that some samples that were scored negative would have been positive with a higher peptide dose than that used in the assay (25  μ M), but also the opposite scenario is conceivable.

British Journal of Cancer

In fact, as the motion in typical surveillance videos is scarce, it is conceivable to update the cost function only occasionally rather than at every frame without losing much optimality.

EURASIP Journal on Information Security

They go around lulling constituents with phony mantras like "Washington doesn't have a revenue problem; it has a spending problem," as if cutting spending is the only conceivable solution to lowering the deficit.

The New York Times

Furthermore, not only is it conceivable to construct cells that perform logical tasks, this has been experimentally performed (Elowitz & Leibler, 2000; Buchler et al., 2003).

FEMS Microbiology Reviews

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it is only conceivable to" when emphasizing that a particular idea or action is the only one that makes sense within a specific context. This is especially useful in scientific, philosophical, or analytical writing.

Common error

Avoid using "it is only conceivable to" in everyday situations where simpler phrases like "it is possible" or "it is likely" would suffice. This phrase is best reserved for contexts requiring a more formal and emphatic tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it is only conceivable to" functions as an introductory phrase that sets up a statement of limited possibility or exclusive imagination. It signals that the following idea is the only one that can be rationally considered, as seen in the Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it is only conceivable to" is a grammatically sound construct that, according to Ludwig AI, signifies that something is uniquely possible or imaginable in a specific context. Though infrequently used, this expression finds its niche in formal scientific, news, and encyclopedic discourse, marking it as a tool to emphasize singular possibilities or rational conclusions. When writing, it's best to reserve this phrase for situations demanding a formal tone, while avoiding its overuse in simple scenarios. In summary, Ludwig's analysis confirms that "it is only conceivable to" serves as an effective way to limit scope and stress singularity, particularly in analytical or scientific contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it is merely possible to

Changes the emphasis from conceivability to simple possibility.

it can only be imagined that

Focuses on the imaginative aspect rather than the logical possibility.

it is exclusively imaginable to

Adds a sense of exclusivity to the act of imagining.

it is uniquely thinkable to

Emphasizes the uniqueness of the thought process.

the sole possibility is to

Highlights that there's only one possible course of action.

the only imaginable option is to

Focuses on options that can be imagined.

it's solely within the realm of possibility to

Emphasizes the limits of what is possible.

it's confined to the imagination to

Highlights confinement to the imaginary.

it is hypothetically limited to

Focuses on hypothetical boundaries.

it is speculatively limited to

Highlights speculative limitation.

FAQs

How can I use "it is only conceivable to" in a sentence?

Use "it is only conceivable to" to suggest something is exclusively possible or imaginable within a specific context. For example, "Given the circumstances, "it is only conceivable to" assume the project will be delayed".

What are some alternatives to "it is only conceivable to"?

Alternatives include "it is merely possible to", "it can only be imagined that", or "the sole possibility is to" depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

Is it correct to say "it is only conceivable that" instead of "it is only conceivable to"?

Yes, "it is only conceivable that" is grammatically correct and can be used when followed by a clause. "It is only conceivable to" is followed by a verb in its infinitive form.

What's the difference between "it is only conceivable to" and "it is highly likely to"?

"It is only conceivable to" suggests something is uniquely possible or imaginable, while "it is highly likely to" suggests a high probability of occurrence. The former is about exclusivity, the latter about probability.