impasse

/ĩˈpa.si/

//ĩˈpa.si// noun

The verdict

“impasse” is a moderately-common Portuguese word, ranked #13,103 in Portuguese word frequency and used as a noun.

#13,103
frequency rank, Portuguese
7
letters
8
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - circunstância onde é difícil escolher uma solução; situação de saída aparentemente impossível

Key facts for impasse
PropertyValue
Headwordimpasse
LanguagePortuguese
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ĩˈpa.si/
Letters7
Frequency rank#13,103
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “impasse” sits in Portuguese frequency

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

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The Portuguese entry for impasse is 7 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ĩˈpa.si/. Corpus data places it at rank #13,103 in overall Portuguese word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for impasse, with forms such as "imapsse", "immpasse", and "impase". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

This entry carries no recorded etymology, so any spelling logic here comes from how the word's sounds map to letters, not a documented origin story. The correct Portuguese form is impasse, spelled I-M-P-A-S-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    circunstância onde é difícil escolher uma solução; situação de saída aparentemente impossível
  2. 2
    aquilo que dificulta, impede, embaraça a realização de algo
  3. 3
    o momento em que algo está sem solução

Synonyms

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: imapsse,immpasse,impase,impases,imppasse,impsase,ipmasse,mipasse

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

imapsse2immpasse1impase1impases2imppasse1impsase2ipmasse2mipasse2
Edit distance from "impasse"

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 Portuguese corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "impasse"?
"impasse" is spelled I-M-P-A-S-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ĩˈpa.si/.
What does "impasse" mean?
As a noun, "impasse" means: circunstância onde é difícil escolher uma solução; situação de saída aparentemente impossível
What are common misspellings of "impasse"?
Common misspellings include "imapsse", "immpasse", "impase", "impases", "imppasse". The correct spelling is "impasse".
How do you pronounce "impasse"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "impasse" is /ĩˈpa.si/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "impasse" come from?
"impasse" is a Portuguese word. PlainSpell's reference spans five languages -- English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German -- with definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data for each.
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.

Using “impasse”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct Portuguese spelling is I-M-P-A-S-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ĩˈpa.si/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more Portuguese words and confusable pairs in the same reference. Portuguese words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list