impossibility

noun

im·​pos·​si·​bil·​i·​ty (ˌ)im-ˌpä-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

1

: the quality or state of being impossible

2

: something impossible

Examples of impossibility in a Sentence

The blizzard made travel an impossibility.

the impossibility of knowing what the future will bring

Recent Examples on the Web

This made running the 25-minute scenes through, from start to finish, a virtual impossibility. —Chris O'Falt, IndieWire, 28 Mar. 2025

There have been many waves of criticism, pointing out the impossibility of carrying out the test in a precise or useful way. —Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 22 Mar. 2025

The impossibility of conveying in ordinary Yiddish the experience of walking through the empty streets of one’s eradicated civilization pushes Grade into a biblical register. —Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2025

To be sure, disjointed, weak, or ambivalent cultures may be as problematic as a cult, resulting in a pathological sense of chaos, unpredictability, and anarchic individualism where cooperation and team work become an impossibility. —Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for impossibility

• acceptability
• accessibility
• adaptability
• admissibility
• advisability
• affordability
• allowability
• amenability
• amiability
• appealability
• applicability
• availability

Kids Definition

impossibility

noun

im·​pos·​si·​bil·​i·​ty (ˌ)im-ˌpäs-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

plural impossibilities

1

: the quality or state of being impossible

2

: something impossible

Legal Definition

impossibility

noun

im·​pos·​si·​bil·​i·​ty

plural impossibilities

1

: the quality or state of being impossible

also : the affirmative defense that something (as performance) is impossible

2

: something impossible

3

: impossibility of performance in this entry

— factual impossibility

: impossibility based on factual circumstances

specifically : a partial defense to criminal liability based on the incompletion of an intended criminal act

Note: Factual impossibility is not a complete defense and does allow prosecution for attempt or for another inchoate offense. For example, if the defendant constructed a bomb that failed to explode, factual impossibility would be a defense against murder charges, but not attempted murder.

— impossibility of performance

: a doctrine in contract law that a party may be released from liability for breach of contract for failing to perform an obligation that is rendered impossible by uncontrollable circumstances (as death or failure of the means of delivery)

: a defense to breach of contract or a basis for release from contractual obligations because of impossibility of performance compare frustration, impracticability

— legal impossibility

: impossibility based on or with reference to a law

specifically : a complete defense to criminal liability based on the commitment of acts that are not criminal or illegal

Note: Legal impossibility is founded on the principle that an act is not a crime unless there is a law prohibiting it.