unachievable

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'unachievable' is correct and can be used in written English.
It means something that cannot be achieved or reached. Example: The goal of becoming a millionaire by the age of 25 seemed unachievable to him, but he worked hard and proved himself wrong.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The Hollywood film U-571 (2000), in which the Royal Navy's capture of an Enigma machine during the second world war is falsely attributed to an American crew (including chief engineer Jon Bon Jovi), was denounced in parliament by prime minister Tony Blair.

The Guardian - Film

U Myint Aye, aged 61, from Yangon, has a long track record of peaceful political activism.

The Guardian

Referring back to her iconic look in the Nothing Compares 2 U video – a huge international hit written by Prince – O'Connor admitted that she was asked by her label to reconsider her image for the 1990s video.

The Guardian - Music

In Britain, the US and France the top 1% have over the past 100 years seen their fortunes rise and fall and rise again in a U-shaped arc.

The Guardian - Business

Of these, Brundage sa id 85% – almost 600,000 – are unemployed even though many of them are employable.

The Guardian - Business

"This time it was União da Madeira, his eighth promotion, from the second division to the first tier (or seventh if we exclude last year as he was sacked before the end of the season): P. Ferreira 90-91, Académica 96-97, U. Leiria 97-98, Belenenses 98-99, Leixões 06-07, Arouca 12-13, Moreirense 13-14 and U. Madeira 14-15.

The Guardian - Sport

The U-6 number is around 13%, Yellen says.

The Guardian - Business

But on Thursday at an EU summit in Brussels, Luxembourg performed a U-turn and promised to hand over all the tax rulings to the commission after Vestager announced she was extending her inquiry to all 28 EU countries.

The Guardian

Indeed the pressure became so intense over the past 72 hours that the government was forced into an embarrassing U-turn over plans to cut allowances for younger disabled people in the republic.

The Guardian

"I guess it hurts 2 have the producers tell u to ur face that nicki is the best judge we've had since simon [cowell]," the rapper further tweeted.

The Guardian - Music

Amnesty is calling for the immediate release of Burmese human rights activist U Myint Aye, who is serving a life sentence for his alleged involvement in planning a bomb attack in the Shwepyitha Township in Yangon on 1 July 2008.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a goal, use "unachievable" to clearly convey that it cannot be accomplished given the current circumstances or resources.

Common error

Avoid using "unachievable" when describing challenges that are difficult but potentially surmountable with effort and resources; reserve it for truly impossible scenarios.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "unachievable" is as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe something that cannot be achieved. As Ludwig reveals, its meaning and usage are relatively straightforward, indicating impossibility.

Expression frequency: Missing

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unachievable" functions as an adjective to describe something that is impossible to achieve. It's grammatically correct and used to denote a goal or task that cannot be accomplished. While Ludwig indicates it is a valid word, its contexts of use can vary from neutral to slightly formal depending on the subject matter. While alternatives exist, such as "impossible to achieve" and "unattainable", it's important to choose the word that best fits the specific nuances of the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

impossible to achieve

Direct synonym emphasizing the impossibility.

unattainable

Similar in meaning, suggesting something is out of reach.

impracticable

Focuses on the lack of practicality.

infeasible

Highlights the lack of feasibility or viability.

out of reach

Idiomatic expression indicating something is not accessible.

beyond reach

Similar to 'out of reach', emphasizing distance.

not viable

Focuses on the lack of a viable solution or pathway.

hopeless

Indicates a lack of hope for success.

doomed to fail

Emphasizes the inevitable failure of something.

mission impossible

Idiomatic expression indicating an extremely difficult or unlikely task.

FAQs

How can I use "unachievable" in a sentence?

You can use "unachievable" to describe goals or tasks that are impossible to accomplish. For instance, "Reversing climate change completely at this stage seems "unachievable" without radical changes".

What are some alternatives to using "unachievable"?

Alternatives to "unachievable" include "impossible to achieve", "unattainable", or "infeasible". The best choice depends on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use the word "unachievable"?

It is appropriate to use "unachievable" when referring to something that is realistically impossible to accomplish, given current circumstances and limitations. Avoid using it for tasks that are merely difficult.

What is the difference between "unachievable" and "difficult"?

"Difficult" tasks can be accomplished with effort, time, and resources, whereas "unachievable" tasks are impossible to accomplish, regardless of the effort applied.