unattainable to

USAGE SUMMARY

"unattainable to" is a correct phrase that can be used in written English.
It can be used as a way of indicating that something cannot be achieved or obtained. Example: Success in the high-stress industry of finance often seems unattainable to many.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

48 human-written examples

It never seemed unattainable to me.

The Guardian - Books

A victory so unattainable to most in the Middle East was achieved by a fellow Palestinian.

The Guardian

She must have seemed unattainable to shy Toby and, ultimately, she was unattainable.

The New Yorker

Sad, angry men sitting in their bedsits in underpants, hating women unattainable to them?

The Guardian - Opinion

As a result legal resettlement seems unattainable to most refugees, forcing them to seek alternate means of reaching Europe.

The Guardian

He added, "I'm not ridiculous — but there are just certain fantasies that don't seem unattainable to me.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

9 human-written examples

But potential bonuses apparently put him over the limit even though they were thought to be unattainable (related to games played).

Los Angeles Times

For the first time, we will be able to combine previously unattainable data to change how we're seamlessly interacting with the world (and measuring ourselves in the process).

TechCrunch

Consumers on the other hand fulfill their aspirations by having access to goods previously unattainable due to a high price barrier.

Huffington Post

Those linear equations, however, require the complete set of all possible assemblies with all possible sizes (from 0 to Nmax), which is unattainable due to huge dimensionality of the system.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Much preclinical work was started, but translation to treatment of clinical patients remained unattainable due to technical problems.

Cancer Imaging

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "unattainable to", ensure clarity about who or what finds something unattainable. This helps avoid ambiguity and strengthens the sentence's impact.

Common error

Avoid using "unattainable to" when something is merely difficult but still potentially achievable. "Challenging" or "difficult" might be more appropriate in those cases.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "unattainable to" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, indicating that something is impossible for a particular person or group to achieve. Ludwig AI confirms this with numerous examples across different contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unattainable to" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to express that something is impossible for a specific person or group to achieve. As Ludwig AI confirms, it appears frequently in various contexts, particularly in news, media, and scientific articles. When writing, make sure to use this phrase when you want to convey impossibility rather than mere difficulty. While it is suitable for formal and informal contexts, its tone is generally neutral. When a different nuance is desired, alternatives such as "beyond reach for" or "inaccessible to" could be considered. The contexts in which this expression most often appear are "News & Media", "Science" and "Wiki".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

beyond reach for

Replaces "unattainable" with "beyond reach" maintaining a similar meaning of inaccessibility.

out of reach for

Synonymous with "beyond reach", highlighting the inaccessibility.

inaccessible to

Uses a direct synonym for "unattainable", keeping the structure similar.

unattainable by

Rearranges the sentence to focus on the subject that cannot attain something.

impossible for

Emphasizes the impossibility aspect of achieving something.

not achievable by

Shifts the focus to the act of achieving and who cannot do it.

beyond the capabilities of

Focuses on the limitations preventing attainment.

not within the grasp of

Uses a more figurative expression for something being unattainable.

beyond the scope of

Implies that something is outside the boundaries of what is possible or relevant.

prohibitively difficult for

Highlights the difficulty as the primary reason for being unattainable.

FAQs

How to use "unattainable to" in a sentence?

Use "unattainable to" to describe something that is impossible for a specific person or group to achieve. For example, "A stable work-life balance often seems "unattainable to" new parents".

What can I say instead of "unattainable to"?

You can use alternatives like "beyond reach for", "inaccessible to", or "impossible for" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "unattainable to" or "unattainable by"?

Both ""unattainable to"" and "unattainable by" are grammatically correct, but they emphasize different aspects. "Unattainable to" focuses on who cannot achieve something, while "unattainable by" focuses on the means by which something cannot be achieved.

What's the difference between "unattainable to" and "difficult for"?

"Unattainable to" implies impossibility, whereas "difficult for" suggests something is hard to achieve but still possible with effort. Consider the level of challenge when choosing between ""unattainable to"" and difficult.