impossibly

Everyday

1. Impossibly means in a way that cannot happen or be done. tree →
2. Impossibly also means extremely or unbelievably, so much that it seems impossible: «impossibly tall». tree →

In the lessons

In everyday talk and stories it exaggerates: «impossibly hard», «impossibly beautiful». In maths it can point to a real impossibility, but usually it just means «very, very». Phrases: «impossibly difficult», «impossibly tall», «impossibly fast».

Examples

• The giraffe's neck looked impossibly long. tree →
• The puzzle was impossibly hard, so we asked for a hint. tree →
• The skyscraper rose impossibly high into the clouds. tree →
• Her handwriting was impossibly small. tree →
• The magician seemed to float impossibly above the stage. tree →
• The queue for the ride was impossibly long. tree →
• The cake was impossibly delicious. tree →

Note

Adverb from «impossible». Usually goes before an adjective. Often an exaggeration, so in a story it does not mean the thing truly cannot happen. Not the same as «impossible»: «It is impossible» (adjective), «impossibly hard» (adverb).