it nigh impossible

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it nigh impossible" is not correct in standard English; it should be "it is nigh impossible." You can use it to express that something is nearly impossible to achieve or accomplish.
Example: "With the current resources we have, it is nigh impossible to complete the project on time."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Worse, companies found it nigh impossible to acquire exclusive rights to a government-owned patent.

The Economist

This she ascribes to Britain's first-past-the-post system, which makes it nigh impossible for a nationally based third party to win a breakthrough.

The Economist

If their breeding grounds haven't been covered in trees, the predators that are sheltered by the forests, namely foxes, crows and pine martens, make it nigh impossible for them to raise any young.

The Guardian - Opinion

Having a performer right before you in an intimate space makes it nigh impossible to sustain an academic distance, especially when the performer is as aggressively ingratiating as Ms. Allen is.

The New York Times

Worst of all, Morris's familiar documentary-as-spectacle aesthetic has bloated into mannerism – the empty visual metaphors, barrages of diagrams and bombastic Danny Elfman score all creating a cloud of obfuscation that makes it nigh impossible to think clearly about the matter at hand.

The Guardian - Film

Add to that a general unwillingness of voters to throw over a council member who hasn't done anything wrong and try someone new, and it makes it nigh impossible.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Land title is still often held communally, making it nigh-impossible for farmers to get credits.

The Economist

Mr Chaffee now has nothing to lose, having lost his seat, making it nigh-impossible for Republicans to twist his arm and change his mind.

The Economist

And in the presidential election due next year, all the obstacles that make it nigh-impossible for a relative outsider, such as Mohamed ElBaradei, a former head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, to compete, should be swept away.

The Economist

The Socialists' hostility makes it nigh-impossible for Mr Sarkozy to put in place a central element of the deal: writing a balanced-budget "golden rule" needs a three-fifths parliamentary majority.Across the Rhine, Germany's opposition Social Democrats criticised the deal as a victory for France, not the "breakthrough to a stability union" that Mrs Merkel claimed.

The Economist

Make Sure It's a Pause, Not a Dent" stating that, "When women leave the workforce, one of three things happens: They get divorced and often plummet into relative poverty; they find it nigh-impossible to get back in; or they find new jobs post-haste and everything is peachy".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity and grammatical correctness, replace the phrase "it nigh impossible" with "it is nigh impossible", "it is almost impossible", or "it is nearly impossible". These alternatives are more widely accepted and easier to understand.

Common error

Avoid omitting the auxiliary verb "is" when using "nigh impossible". The grammatically correct form is "it is nigh impossible". Omitting "is" can make your writing sound awkward or incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it nigh impossible" functions as a predicative adjective phrase describing a state or condition. However, its grammatical correctness is questionable due to the omission of the auxiliary verb "is". As Ludwig AI suggests, the standard form includes the auxiliary verb.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "it nigh impossible" appears in published sources, it is grammatically questionable because it omits the auxiliary verb "is". As Ludwig AI highlights, the correct form is "it is nigh impossible". This phrase conveys that something is exceedingly difficult or nearly impossible. While it's mostly found in news and media contexts, remember to include the auxiliary verb "is" for grammatical accuracy. Consider using alternatives like ""it is almost impossible"" or ""it is nearly impossible"" for clearer and more conventional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it is almost impossible

Replaces "nigh" with "almost" to create a more common and grammatically correct phrasing.

it is nearly impossible

Substitutes "nigh" with "nearly", resulting in a standard and more widely accepted phrase.

it's practically impossible

Uses "practically" instead of "nigh" for a more contemporary and grammatically sound alternative.

it is virtually impossible

Replaces "nigh" with "virtually" to provide a similar meaning with improved grammatical correctness.

it's well-nigh impossible

Adds "well-" to "nigh" to form a more emphatic version, although still relatively uncommon.

it is barely possible

Shifts the meaning slightly to indicate that something is possible, but only just.

it is hardly possible

Indicates a low probability or significant difficulty, but does not completely rule out the possibility.

it is a long shot

Uses an idiom to convey that something is unlikely to succeed.

the chances are slim

Emphasizes the low probability of something happening.

it defies possibility

Uses a more dramatic expression to convey extreme improbability.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "it nigh impossible" in a sentence?

The grammatically correct way to use the phrase is "it is nigh impossible". For example: "With current resources, "it is nigh impossible" to complete the project on time."

What phrases can I use instead of "it nigh impossible"?

Alternatives include "it is almost impossible", "it is nearly impossible", or "it is virtually impossible". These options are more common and grammatically standard.

Is it better to say "it is nigh impossible" or "it's nigh impossible"?

"It's nigh impossible" is a contraction of "it is nigh impossible" and is perfectly acceptable in many contexts. However, "it is nigh impossible" might be preferred in more formal writing.

What does "nigh" mean in the phrase "it is nigh impossible"?

In this context, "nigh" means "near" or "almost". Thus, ""it is nigh impossible"" means "it is almost impossible".