English Meaning & Definitions
Unable to be done, achieved, or to exist; incapable of occurring under the given circumstances.
- “It is not possible to travel faster than the speed of light.”
- “I am afraid it is not possible for me to attend the meeting tomorrow.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “not possible”.
The phrase is a combination of the Middle English 'not' (from Old English 'nōht', a contraction of 'ne' meaning 'not' and 'āwiht' meaning 'anything') and 'possible' (derived from the Old French 'possible', from the Latin 'possibilis', meaning 'that can be done', from 'posse' meaning 'to be able').
Think of a 'No' sign placed in front of a 'Possible' sign; if the 'No' is there, the action cannot happen.
Frequently Asked Questions About “not possible”
1. What is the meaning of “not possible” in English?
In English, not possible (adjective) is defined as: “Unable to be done, achieved, or to exist; incapable of occurring under the given circumstances.”.
2. How do you use “not possible” in a sentence?
“It is not possible to travel faster than the speed of light.”
3. What are English synonyms of “not possible”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “not possible”?
The phrase is a combination of the Middle English 'not' (from Old English 'nōht', a contraction of 'ne' meaning 'not' and 'āwiht' meaning 'anything') and 'possible' (derived from the Old French 'possible', from the Latin 'possibilis', meaning 'that can be done', from 'posse' meaning 'to be able').
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.