Phrase guide

snowball's chance in hell

noun · 1 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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1

noun

Meaning 1

Almost no chance at all of an occurrence or success.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: derogatory, excessive, idiomatic, informal, vulgar

Examples

  • That small boat has a snowball's chance in hell of surviving the hurricane.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: snowball's chance, snowball's chance in an oven

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 希望渺茫 (xīwàng) — little or no likelihood of occurrence or success
  • Georgian: არავითარი შანსი (aravitari šansi) — little or no likelihood of occurrence or success
  • Georgian: არანაირი შანსი (aranairi šansi) — little or no likelihood of occurrence or success
  • Italian: alle calende greche — little or no likelihood of occurrence or success
  • Italian: quando gli asini voleranno — little or no likelihood of occurrence or success
  • Italian: mai — little or no likelihood of occurrence or success
  • Swedish: när helvetet fryser till is — little or no likelihood of occurrence or success