unattainable
/ˌʌnəˈteɪnəbl/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌʌnətˈenəbəl] /ˌʌnəˈteɪnəbl/ (ame, ipa) · [ˌʌnətˈenəbəl] /ˌən-ə-ˈtā-nə-bəl How to pronounce unattainable (audio)/ (ame, mw)
unattainable — adjective
- unattainablepositive
- more unattainablecomparative
- most unattainablesuperlative
1. describing a goal, dream, standard, or result that you cannot reach or succeed i
describing a goal, dream, standard, or result that you cannot reach or succeed in reaching, no matter what you try.
For many young athletes, an Olympic medal can feel like an unattainable dream.
collocation: unattainable dream
Jiwoo knew that buying a house in the city was unattainable on her current salary.
The research team concluded that a perfect solution was simply unattainable.
Stefan thought the top score was unattainable until he found a better way to study.
Nia's goal of becoming a doctor seemed unattainable without the money for school.
- impossible
stronger and broader — 'impossible' suggests that something cannot happen at all, while 'unattainable' suggests it is out of reach even if theoretically possible
- unreachable
more concrete and often refers to physical places or contact, not abstract goals
- inaccessible
focuses on barriers to entry or lack of access, rather than personal effort
- attainable
the direct opposite — reachable through effort
- achievable
possible to accomplish with reasonable effort
- within reach
idiomatic opposite, often used with 'seem' or 'feel'
用法筆記
Commonly used both before a noun (attributive: 'an unattainable goal') and after a linking verb (predicative: 'the goal seems unattainable'). Typical subjects include aspirations, standards, and ideals.