impossibility

/ɪmˌpɒsɪˈbɪliti/

//ɪmˌpɒsɪˈbɪliti// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"impossibility" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“impossibility” has 18 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #27,508. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#27,508
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
18
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Something that is impossible.

Corpus desk

Index EN-impossibility · impossibility · English

impossibility · rank #27,508 · 18 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #27,508
  • LEN-MEGA 13 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 18 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH impotent

Nearest frequency peer: impotent (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “impossibility”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “impossibility” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026
Key facts for impossibility
PropertyValue
Headwordimpossibility
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ɪmˌpɒsɪˈbɪliti/
Letters13
Frequency rank#27,508
Misspellings tracked18
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “impossibility”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).impossibilitylands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “impotent” (#27,509), “inconsiderate” (#27,510), “idyllic” (#27,505). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “impossibility” is #27,508. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 18 spelling variants around impossibility (IPA /ɪmˌpɒsɪˈbɪliti/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #27,508 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 3 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for impossibility, with forms such as "immpossibility", "imopssibility", and "imposibility". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. Our confusable-pair dataset has no match for it, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French impossibilité, from Latin impossibilitās. By surface analysis, im- + possibility and impossible + -ity. The correct English form is impossibility, spelled I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Something that is impossible.
  2. 2
    The quality of being impossible.
  3. 3
    The state of being unable to do something.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how impossibility appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Meeting the deadline is an impossibility; there is no way we can be ready in time.
  2. God commands not impossibilities; and all the Ecclesiastical glue, that Liturgy, or Laymen can compound, is not able to soder up two such incongruous natures into the one flesh of a true beseeming Mariage.

Etymology

From Middle French impossibilité, from Latin impossibilitās. By surface analysis, im- + possibility and impossible + -ity.

Synonyms

castle in the airimpossibilitypie in the skypipe dream

Antonyms

certaintyinevitabilitypossibilitysure thing

This word in other languages

imposibilidad(Español)impossibilité(Français)Unmöglichkeit(Deutsch)impossibilidade(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • immpossibility
  • imopssibility
  • imposibility
  • imposisbility
  • impossbiility
  • impossibbility
  • impossibiilty
  • impossibilitty
  • impossibilityy
  • impossibiliyt
  • impossibillity
  • impossibiltiy
  • impossibliity
  • impossiiblity
  • imppossibility
  • impsosibility
  • ipmossibility
  • mipossibility

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of impossibility - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

immpossibility1imopssibility2imposibility1imposisbility2impossbiility2impossibbility1impossibiilty2impossibilitty1
Edit distance from "impossibility"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "impossibility"?
"impossibility" is spelled I-M-P-O-S-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪmˌpɒsɪˈbɪliti/.
What does "impossibility" mean?
As a noun, "impossibility" means: Something that is impossible.
What are common misspellings of "impossibility"?
Common misspellings include "immpossibility", "imopssibility", "imposibility", "imposisbility", "impossbiility". The correct spelling is "impossibility".
How do you pronounce "impossibility"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "impossibility" is /ɪmˌpɒsɪˈbɪliti/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "impossibility"?
From Middle French impossibilité, from Latin impossibilitās. By surface analysis, im- + possibility and impossible + -ity. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "impossibility", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 13 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

inconsiderate#27,510nationalistic#27,579proportionate#27,606quartermaster#27,611

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (18 here; floor ≥5).

recollections18 variantsurbanization18 variantsworkstation18 variantscategorically18 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list