SG Heritage Dictionary

Impossible [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. That cannot be. It is impossible that two and two should make five, or that a circle and a square make five, or that a circle and a square should be the same thing, or that a thing should be, and not be at the same time.

2. Impracticable; not feasible; that cannot be done.

3. With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26 .

4. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6 .

5. There are two kinds of impossibilities; physical and moral. That is a physical impossibility, which is contrary to the law of nature. A thing is said to be morally impossible when in itself it is possible, but attended with difficulties or circumstances which give it the appearance of being impossible [ See Possible , Practicable and Impracticable.]

Impossible [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Not possible; incapable of being done, of existing, etc.; unattainable in the nature of things, or by means at command; insuperably difficult under the circumstances; absurd or impracticable; not feasible.

Impossible [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

An impossibility.

Number Roget’s Thesaurus §84

N. number, symbol, numeral, figure, cipher, digit, # integer, counter, round number, formula, function, series, sum, difference, complement, subtrahend, product, multiplicand, multiplier, multiplicator, coefficient, multiple, dividend, divisor, factor, quotient, submultiple, fraction, rational number, surd, irrational number, transcendental number, mixed number, complex number, complex conjugate, numerator, denominator, decimal, circulating decimal, repetend, common measure, aliquot part, prime number, prime, relative prime, prime factor, prime pair, reciprocal, totient, binary number, octal number, hexadecimal number, permutation, combination, variation, election, ratio, proportion, comparison, progression, arithmetical progression, geometrical progression, harmonical progression, percentage, permilage, figurate numbers, pyramidal numbers, polygonal numbers, power, root, exponent, index, logarithm, antilogarithm, modulus, base, differential, integral, fluxion, fluent

Adj. numeral, complementary, divisible, aliquot, reciprocal, prime, relatively prime, fractional, decimal, figurate, incommensurable, proportional, exponential, logarithmic, logometric, differential, fluxional, integral, totitive, positive, negative, rational, irrational, surd, radical, real, complex, imaginary, finite, infinite, impossible

Adv. numerically, modulo

Impossibility Roget’s Thesaurus §471

N. impossibility, what cannot, what can never be, sour grapes, hopelessness

V. be impossible, have no chance whatever, attempt impossibilities, square the circle, wash a blackamoor white, skin a flint, make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, make bricks without straw, have nothing to go upon, weave a rope of sand, build castles in the air, prendre la lune avec les dents, extract sunbeams from cucumbers, set the thames on fire, milk a he-goat into a sieve, catch a weasel asleep, rompre l'anguille au genou, be in two places at once

Adj. impossible, not possible, absurd, contrary to reason, unlikely, unreasonable, incredible, beyond the bounds of reason, beyond the bounds of possibility, beyond the realm of possibility, from which reason recoils, visionary, inconceivable, prodigious, unimaginable, inimaginable, unthinkable, impracticable unachievable, unfeasible, infeasible, insuperable, unsurmountable, insurmountable, unattainable, unobtainable, out of reach, out of the question, not to be had, not to be thought of, beyond control, desperate, incompatible, inaccessible, uncomeatable, impassable, impervious, innavigable, inextricable, self-contradictory, out of one's power, beyond one's power, beyond one's depth, beyond one's reach, beyond one's grasp, too much for, ultra crepidam

Phr. the grapes are sour, non possumus, non nostrum tantas componere lites, look for a needle in a haystack, chercher une aiguille dans une botte de foin, il a le mer boire

Unbelief. Doubt Roget’s Thesaurus §485

N. unbelief, disbelief, misbelief, discredit, miscreance, infidelity, dissent, change of opinion, retraction, doubt, skepticism, scepticism, misgiving, demure, distrust, mistrust, cynicism, misdoubt, suspicion, jealousy, scruple, qualm, onus probandi, incredibility, incredibleness, incredulity, doubter, skeptic, cynic, unbeliever

V. disbelieve, discredit, not believe, misbelieve, refuse to admit, refuse to believe, doubt, be doubtful, doubt the truth of, be skeptical as to, diffide|, distrust, mistrust, suspect, smoke, scent, smell a rat, have doubts, harbor doubts, entertain doubts, suspicions, have one's doubts, demure, stick at, pause, hesitate, scruple, stop to consider, waver, hang in suspense, hang in doubt, throw doubt upon, raise a question, bring in, call in question, question, challenge, dispute, deny, cavil, cause a doubt, raise a doubt, start a doubt, suggest a doubt, awake a doubt, make suspicion, ergotize, startle, stagger, shake one's faith, shake one's belief, stagger one's faith, stagger one's belief

Adj. unbelieving, skeptical, sceptical, incredulous as to, skeptical as to, distrustful as to, shy as to, suspicious of, doubting, doubtful, disputable, unworthy of, undeserving of belief, questionable, suspect, suspicious, open to suspicion, open to doubt, staggering, hard to believe, incredible, unbelievable, not to be believed, inconceivable, impossible, fallible, undemonstrable, controvertible

Adv. cum grano salis, with grains of allowance

Phr. fronti nulla fides, nimium ne crede colori, "timeo danaos et dona ferentes", beware of greeks bearing gifts, credat judaeus apella, let those believe who may, ad tristem partem stenua est suspicio

Refusal Roget’s Thesaurus §764

N. refusal, rejection, noncompliance, incompliance, denial, declining, declension, declinature, peremptory refusal, flat refusal, point blank refusal, repulse, rebuff, discountenance, recusancy, abnegation, protest, disclaimer, dissent, revocation

V. refuse, reject, deny, decline, turn down, nill, negative, refuse one's assent, withhold one's assent, shake the head, close the hand, close the purse, grudge, begrudge, be slow to, hang fire, pass, be deaf to, dismiss, turn a deaf ear to, turn one's back upon, set one's face against, discountenance, not hear of, have nothing to do with, wash one's hands of, stand aloof, forswear, set aside, cast behind one, not yield an inch, resist, cross, not grant, repel, repulse, shut the door in one's face, slam the door in one's face, rebuff, send back, send to the right about, send away with a flea in the ear, deny oneself, not be at home to, discard, spurn, &c. (repudiate) 610, rescind, disclaim, protest, dissent

Adj. refusing, restive, restiff|, recusant, uncomplying, unconsenting, not willing to hear of, deaf to, refused, ungranted, out of the question, not to be thought of, impossible

Adv. no, on no account, not for the world, no thank you, thanks but no thanks

Phr. non possumus, your humble servant, bien oblige, not on your life, no way, not even if you beg on your knees

King James Bible KJV Bible

Berean Standard Bible BSB Bible

11 KJV and 10 BSB verses contain “impossible”

Zechariah 8:6

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

This is what the LORD of Hosts says: “If this is impossible in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be impossible in My eyes?” declares the LORD of Hosts.

Matthew 17:20

And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

“Because you have so little faith,” He answered. “For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Matthew 19:26

But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Mark 10:27

And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

Luke 1:37

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

For no word from God will ever fail.”

Luke 17:1

Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

Jesus said to His disciples, “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks will come, but woe to the one through whom they come!

Luke 18:27

And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

But Jesus said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Acts 2:24

Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches.

Hebrews 6:4

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit,

Hebrews 6:18

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.

Hebrews 10:4

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

2 Maccabees 3:12

And that it was altogether impossible that such wrongs should be done unto them, that had committed it to the holiness of the place, and to the majesty and inviolable sanctity of the temple, honoured over all the world.

2 Maccabees 4:6

For he saw that it was impossible that the state should continue quiet, and Simon leave his folly, unless the king did look thereunto.