adv · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET:IH2 M P AA1 S AH0 B L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
Not possibly; in an impossible manner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
To the point of impossibility.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The topology problem was impossibly difficult.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
Contrary to what had been thought possible.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Impossibly, after the water receded, the cat was found asleep on a chair jammed in a tree.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adverb
Meaning 4
to a degree impossible of achievement
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
long thought to be an impossibly difficult operation
impossibly far from sources of supply
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: possibly
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English impossible Middle English -ly English -ly English impossibly From impossible + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
52 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
impossiblement
— in an impossible manner
Chinese Mandarin:
不可能地
— in an impossible manner
Dutch:
onmogelijk
— in an impossible manner
Esperanto:
neeble
— in an impossible manner
Finnish:
mahdottomasti
— in an impossible manner
French:
impossiblement
— in an impossible manner
Greek:
ακατορθωτώς
(akatorthotós)
— in an impossible manner
Italian:
impossibilmente
— in an impossible manner
Polish:
niemożliwie
— in an impossible manner
Portuguese:
impossivelmente
— in an impossible manner
Russian:
невозмо́жно
(nevozmóžno)
— in an impossible manner
Russian:
невыполни́мо
(nevypolnímo)
— in an impossible manner
Russian:
неосуществи́мо
(neosuščestvímo)
— in an impossible manner
Russian:
нереа́льно
(nereálʹno)
— in an impossible manner
Serbo-Croatian:
nȅmogūće
— in an impossible manner
Spanish:
imposiblemente
— in an impossible manner
Swedish:
omöjligen
— in an impossible manner
Vietnamese:
một cách không thể
— in an impossible manner
Armenian:
չափազանց
(čʻapʻazancʻ)
— to the point of impossibility
Armenian:
սաստիկ
(sastik)
— to the point of impossibility
Armenian:
անտանելի
(antaneli)
— to the point of impossibility
Catalan:
impossiblement
— to the point of impossibility
Chinese Mandarin:
难以置信地
— to the point of impossibility
Dutch:
onmogelijk
— to the point of impossibility
Finnish:
mahdottoman
— to the point of impossibility
French:
impossiblement
— to the point of impossibility
German:
unmöglich
— to the point of impossibility
Polish:
niemożliwie
— to the point of impossibility
Polish:
niemożebnie
— to the point of impossibility
Polish:
niesamowicie
— to the point of impossibility
Polish:
niewiarygodnie
— to the point of impossibility
Portuguese:
impossivelmente
— to the point of impossibility
Russian:
невозмо́жно
(nevozmóžno)
— to the point of impossibility
Russian:
невыполни́мо
(nevypolnímo)
— to the point of impossibility
Russian:
непостижи́мо
(nepostižímo)
— to the point of impossibility
Russian:
нереа́льно
(nereálʹno)
— to the point of impossibility
Spanish:
imposiblemente
— to the point of impossibility
Vietnamese:
tới mức không thể
— to the point of impossibility
Armenian:
անհավանականորեն
(anhavanakanoren)
— contrary to what was thought possible
Dutch:
ondenkbaar
— contrary to what was thought possible
Dutch:
ongelooflijk
— contrary to what was thought possible
Finnish:
kuin ihmeen kautta
— contrary to what was thought possible
French:
incroyablement
— contrary to what was thought possible
German:
unheimlich
— contrary to what was thought possible
Polish:
niemożliwie
— contrary to what was thought possible
Portuguese:
impossivelmente
— contrary to what was thought possible
Russian:
невероя́тно
(neverojátno)
— contrary to what was thought possible
Russian:
немы́слимо
(nemýslimo)
— contrary to what was thought possible
Russian:
непостижи́мо
(nepostižímo)
— contrary to what was thought possible
Russian:
неосуществи́мо
(neosuščestvímo)
— contrary to what was thought possible
Spanish:
imposiblemente
— contrary to what was thought possible
Vietnamese:
trái lại
— contrary to what was thought possible