this seems incredible

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "this seems incredible" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when expressing disbelief or amazement about a situation or statement. Example: "After hearing the news about the discovery, I couldn't help but think, this seems incredible."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

To me this seems incredible, and also incredibly brave.

The Guardian

This seems incredible to me.

The Guardian - Money

This seems incredible, but as Rogers explains: "If you can make a vehicle out of one material, you can massively reduce the number of parts".

The Guardian - Tech

This seems incredible, especially when Megan writes in the book that she helped a Polish girl escape by asking a rich client to book her a plane ticket back home.

The Guardian

This seems incredible, as does the fact we can see and hear some of these same photons as the interference you get when your telly isn't tuned in properly.

The Guardian

This seems incredible to me: the edited events only seem to last about three minutes, which suggests that every day of the year, four or five hundred catwalk shows are taking place.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

To many whitefellas, the traditional Aboriginal term for non-indigenous Australians, this idea seems incredible.

The Guardian

Few would expect a member of the cabinet to concern himself with day-to-day workings of his press office, but on a matter as important as this it seems incredible that he did not wish to be kept informed of every move... Mr Hoon appears to have delegated responsibility downwards, to his officials, and upwards, to No 10.

The Guardian

During the world athletics championships in Daegu last summer every athlete was tested but - and this still seems incredible to me - there wasn't a single positive test returned.

BBC

And yet so pervasive is Neymar's presence at a tournament where even dear old Gary Cahill keeps popping up on the TV playing the guitar in a rap-metal band to promote a Fifa-approved beer, it still seems incredible this level of invasive exposure can simply slide off the surface of an extraordinarily modern, 22-year-old superstar.

The Guardian - Sport

"It seems incredible that this company has [potentially] done this much damage," Aguirre said.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "this seems incredible" to express genuine surprise or disbelief, especially when encountering unexpected or extraordinary information. It's suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "this seems incredible" in situations where the surprise is clearly feigned or the event is not truly extraordinary. Overusing it can diminish its impact and make your writing seem less genuine.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "this seems incredible" functions as an evaluative statement, expressing a speaker's or writer's subjective assessment of something as unbelievable or astonishing. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a valid and usable expression in English. The phrase often introduces a surprising fact or situation.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Academia

8%

Science

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "this seems incredible" is a grammatically correct and usable English phrase used to express disbelief or amazement. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is appropriate for expressing surprise or wonder in both formal and informal contexts. While it is mostly common in News & Media, it could be used in the context of academia and science as well. Related phrases include "this appears unbelievable", "it's hard to fathom", and "this is quite remarkable", among others. When writing, it's best to use the phrase when you are genuinely surprised and wish to convey that sense to your audience.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

this appears unbelievable

Replaces "seems" with "appears" and "incredible" with "unbelievable", emphasizing incredulity.

this is beyond belief

Shifts from seeming to being, intensifying the sense of disbelief.

it's hard to fathom

Focuses on the difficulty in understanding or believing something.

this defies belief

Highlights that something goes against what is believable.

this is just astounding

Replaces "incredible" with "astounding", expressing great surprise and wonder.

this is quite remarkable

Emphasizes the exceptional or noteworthy nature of something.

it beggars belief

Implies that something is so extraordinary that it surpasses the limits of credibility.

this is difficult to accept

Focuses on the struggle to come to terms with something.

this is strikingly improbable

Highlights the low likelihood or probability of something.

this is nothing short of amazing

Uses a more enthusiastic tone to express strong positive surprise.

FAQs

How can I use "this seems incredible" in a sentence?

Use "this seems incredible" to express disbelief or astonishment regarding a statement, situation, or event. For example: "After hearing the news about the discovery, I couldn't help but think, "this seems incredible"."

What can I say instead of "this seems incredible"?

You can use alternatives such as "this appears unbelievable", "it's hard to fathom", or "this is quite remarkable" depending on the context.

Is it okay to use "this seems incredible" in formal writing?

Yes, "this seems incredible" is generally acceptable in formal writing, although it's important to consider the tone of your piece. For more formal situations, consider alternatives like "this is strikingly improbable".

What's the difference between "this seems incredible" and "this is incredible"?

"This seems incredible" implies a level of subjective assessment and observation, while "this is incredible" is a more direct assertion of the statement's unbelievable nature. The inclusion of "seems" softens the statement slightly.