Sometimes in life, things seem just too hard to do. We might say they feel “impossible.” But instead of just saying that word, people in the USA often use metaphors to describe it. Metaphors are a fun way to compare one idea to something else that helps paint a picture in our minds. They don’t use the words “like” or “as” — they go straight for the feeling.
In America, these sayings show up in school talks, sports, family stories, and even cartoons. They help people understand just how hard or unlikely something really is. This article shares 45 common metaphors that explain what “impossible” feels like. These phrases help us understand when something is so hard that it might never happen — just like trying to jump to the moon or squeeze toothpaste back into the tube.
Metaphors for Impossible
1. Climbing a glass wall
Meaning: Something too hard to do.
Example Sentence: Winning that game without practice felt like climbing a glass wall.
Other ways to say: Like trying to fly without wings, like jumping over a mountain
Fun Fact/Origin: Glass walls are slippery and have nothing to grab.
Usage: Used when a task feels impossible from the start.
2. Catching smoke with your hands
Meaning: Trying something that can’t be done.
Example Sentence: Finding my missing homework in the wind was like catching smoke.
Other ways to say: Like chasing the wind, like grabbing air
Fun Fact/Origin: You can’t hold smoke—it slips away.
Usage: Used when something can’t be controlled or held.
3. Teaching a rock to swim
Meaning: Trying something useless
Example Sentence: Getting my dog to use a tablet felt like teaching a rock to swim.
Other ways to say: Like making water dry, like training a chair
Fun Fact/Origin: Rocks sink. They can’t swim.
Usage: Used when something is clearly never going to work.
4. Fitting an elephant in a mailbox
Meaning: Something way too big to fit
Example Sentence: Putting all my toys in that small box was like fitting an elephant in a mailbox.
Other ways to say: Like stuffing a car in a backpack, like folding a house into a shoe
Fun Fact/Origin: It’s silly because elephants are huge.
Usage: Used to show when space isn’t enough.
5. Walking across the ocean
Meaning: Something that can’t be done by people
Example Sentence: Crossing that test without studying was like walking across the ocean.
Other ways to say: Like jumping to the moon, like hugging the sun
Fun Fact/Origin: You can’t walk on water across an ocean.
Usage: Used for things way beyond reach.
6. Putting toothpaste back in the tube
Meaning: Trying to fix something after it’s too late
Example Sentence: Taking back those mean words felt like putting toothpaste back in the tube.
Other ways to say: Like uncracking an egg, like catching a sneeze
Fun Fact/Origin: Once out, toothpaste is hard to return.
Usage: Used when things can’t be undone.
7. Turning back time
Meaning: Going back to the past, which we can’t do
Example Sentence: I wanted to stop the mistake, but it was like turning back time.
Other ways to say: Like rewinding real life, like fixing yesterday
Fun Fact/Origin: Time only goes forward.
Usage: Used when something is past and can’t be changed.
8. Building a house out of jelly
Meaning: Something that won’t stand or hold
Example Sentence: That plan was like building a house out of jelly.
Other ways to say: Like making stairs from snow, like standing on balloons
Fun Fact/Origin: Jelly wobbles too much to build with.
Usage: Used when the base or idea isn’t strong.
9. Making a cat take a bath
Meaning: Trying to make someone do what they really don’t want to
Example Sentence: Getting my little brother to clean up was like making a cat take a bath.
Other ways to say: Like dragging a mule, like painting wind
Fun Fact/Origin: Most cats hate water.
Usage: Used when someone refuses to help or listen.
10. Getting blood from a stone
Meaning: Trying to get something that isn’t there
Example Sentence: Asking for more candy after Halloween was like getting blood from a stone.
Other ways to say: Like squeezing juice from a dry sponge, like picking apples from a stick
Fun Fact/Origin: Stones have no blood.
Usage: Used when there’s nothing more to get.
11. Teaching a fish to ride a bike
Meaning: Doing something that doesn’t make sense
Example Sentence: Making my dog use a pencil was like teaching a fish to ride a bike.
Other ways to say: Like giving shoes to a bird, like asking a tree to dance
Fun Fact/Origin: Fish don’t live on land, so bikes don’t help them.
Usage: Used when something is silly or doesn’t match.
12. Digging a hole to the moon
Meaning: A job too big to finish
Example Sentence: Cleaning the whole playground alone felt like digging a hole to the moon.
Other ways to say: Like building a bridge to Mars, like sweeping the ocean
Fun Fact/Origin: The moon is super far.
Usage: Used when something seems never-ending.
13. Running a race with no finish line
Meaning: A task with no end or reward
Example Sentence: Waiting for the school bus in the rain felt like running a race with no finish line.
Other ways to say: Like climbing a ladder with no top, like reading a book with no last page
Fun Fact/Origin: Races usually have an end—this one doesn’t.
Usage: Used when people feel stuck doing something with no result.
14. Making square wheels roll
Meaning: Trying to do something in the wrong way
Example Sentence: Solving the puzzle without looking at the pieces was like using square wheels.
Other ways to say: Like flying with no wings, like drawing without a pencil
Fun Fact/Origin: Wheels need to be round to roll.
Usage: Used when something is done the hard or wrong way.
15. Wringing water from sand
Meaning: Trying to get results where there are none
Example Sentence: Looking for clean clothes in my messy room was like wringing water from sand.
Other ways to say: Like squeezing juice from rocks, like finding snow in summer
Fun Fact/Origin: Sand is dry unless it’s wet, but even then, not much comes out.
Usage: Used when efforts lead to nothing.
16. Holding back the tide
Meaning: Trying to stop something too powerful
Example Sentence: Stopping all the noise at recess was like holding back the tide.
Other ways to say: Like stopping the wind, like freezing fire
Fun Fact/Origin: The ocean tide is too big to stop by hand.
Usage: Used when people try to stop something they can’t.
17. Building a bridge out of paper
Meaning: Making something weak to hold something big
Example Sentence: That excuse was like building a bridge out of paper.
Other ways to say: Like using string for a swing, like wearing socks as shoes
Fun Fact/Origin: Paper rips too easily to hold weight.
Usage: Used when ideas or plans aren’t strong.
18. Trying to nail Jello to a wall
Meaning: Something that won’t stay still or be clear
Example Sentence: Explaining the dream I had was like nailing Jello to a wall.
Other ways to say: Like catching wind in a jar, like pinning fog
Fun Fact/Origin: Jello jiggles and doesn’t stick.
Usage: Used when something keeps changing or can’t be explained.
19. Lighting a fire with ice
Meaning: Doing something where the tools won’t work
Example Sentence: Trying to warm up with cold socks was like lighting a fire with ice.
Other ways to say: Like cooling down with fire, like writing with water
Fun Fact/Origin: Ice melts, but can’t burn.
Usage: Used when people use the wrong thing to solve a problem.
20. Jumping to the stars
Meaning: A goal way too high to reach
Example Sentence: I thought about jumping to the stars when I entered the science contest last minute.
Other ways to say: Like reaching clouds with your fingers, like grabbing lightning
Fun Fact/Origin: Stars are light-years away.
Usage: Used when something is too far or hard to reach.
21. Painting the wind
Meaning: Trying to do something you can’t catch or hold
Example Sentence: Trying to explain that game to my grandma was like painting the wind.
Other ways to say: Like coloring air, like drawing sound
Fun Fact/Origin: Wind moves and can’t be touched.
Usage: Used when something can’t be seen clearly or explained.
22. Putting a square peg in a round hole
Meaning: Trying something that doesn’t fit
Example Sentence: That job felt like a square peg in a round hole—I just didn’t belong.
Other ways to say: Like fitting a hat on a fish, like matching socks to shoes that don’t fit
Fun Fact/Origin: Square pegs don’t slide into round holes easily.
Usage: Used when something feels out of place or forced.
23. Carving water
Meaning: Trying to shape or hold something that slips away
Example Sentence: Explaining that dream felt like carving water.
Other ways to say: Like molding fog, like shaping clouds
Fun Fact/Origin: Water moves and can’t be carved like wood.
Usage: Used when something keeps changing or is too soft to hold.
24. Getting a straight answer from a maze
Meaning: Trying to find clarity in something confusing
Example Sentence: That explanation was like getting a straight answer from a maze.
Other ways to say: Like finding a shortcut in a spiral, like reading a book backward
Fun Fact/Origin: Mazes are twisty—not straight.
Usage: Used when answers or thoughts are too confusing.
25. Racing a snail with a rocket
Meaning: Competing where there’s no fair chance
Example Sentence: Trying to win that contest without any tools felt like racing a snail with a rocket.
Other ways to say: Like playing basketball against a giant, like climbing with no rope
Fun Fact/Origin: Snails are super slow—rockets are super fast.
Usage: Used when something feels unfair or unmatchable.
26. Catching the sky in a bucket
Meaning: Trying to hold something too big
Example Sentence: Saving every memory from summer was like catching the sky in a bucket.
Other ways to say: Like keeping all stars in a jar, like catching rain with your hands
Fun Fact/Origin: The sky stretches too far to be held.
Usage: Used when someone wants to keep too much at once.
27. Lassoing a comet
Meaning: Trying to control something fast and wild
Example Sentence: Chasing my puppy was like lassoing a comet.
Other ways to say: Like catching a train with a net, like holding a lightning bolt
Fun Fact/Origin: Comets zoom through space—too fast to catch.
Usage: Used when something is moving or changing too quickly.
28. Tying water into knots
Meaning: Trying to control something that flows freely
Example Sentence: Making all the kids sit still was like tying water into knots.
Other ways to say: Like making snow into bricks, like stacking wind
Fun Fact/Origin: Water slips through and can’t be tied.
Usage: Used when people try to make something wild behave.
29. Growing flowers on concrete
Meaning: Trying to do something where nothing can grow
Example Sentence: That idea was like growing flowers on concrete.
Other ways to say: Like planting in snow, like sewing with sand
Fun Fact/Origin: Concrete doesn’t help things grow.
Usage: Used when something has no chance to work.
30. Putting lightning in a bottle
Meaning: Trying to catch power that can’t be held
Example Sentence: Keeping all those wild ideas felt like putting lightning in a bottle.
Other ways to say: Like bottling a tornado, like caging the sun
Fun Fact/Origin: Lightning is energy—it can’t be trapped.
Usage: Used when something is too powerful or wild to hold.
31. Teaching a statue to dance
Meaning: Trying to get movement from something that won’t move
Example Sentence: Getting my sleepy brother out of bed was like teaching a statue to dance.
Other ways to say: Like asking a rock to sing, like waking a wall
Fun Fact/Origin: Statues don’t move or learn.
Usage: Used when someone won’t change or respond.
32. Writing a letter on smoke
Meaning: Trying to leave a message that disappears
Example Sentence: Talking during the fire drill was like writing a letter on smoke.
Other ways to say: Like sending mail with the wind, like writing in sand by the waves
Fun Fact/Origin: Smoke floats and fades quickly.
Usage: Used when your words or efforts don’t last.
33. Walking on melted ice
Meaning: Something too slippery or unsafe to try
Example Sentence: That risky move felt like walking on melted ice.
Other ways to say: Like balancing on oil, like standing on soap
Fun Fact/Origin: Melted ice is wet and slick—very hard to walk on.
Usage: Used when something is sure to fail or slip.
34. Training a cloud
Meaning: Trying to control something soft and free
Example Sentence: Controlling that group of toddlers was like training a cloud.
Other ways to say: Like taming wind, like teaching rain to stop
Fun Fact/Origin: Clouds drift where the wind goes.
Usage: Used when things are hard to manage or pin down.
35. Erasing shadows
Meaning: Trying to get rid of something that keeps coming back
Example Sentence: Fixing that mistake was like erasing shadows.
Other ways to say: Like chasing your tail, like cleaning dust in a windstorm
Fun Fact/Origin: Shadows always come back when there’s light.
Usage: Used when things return no matter what.
36. Sweeping leaves in a hurricane
Meaning: Doing something small during a big mess
Example Sentence: Tidying up during the party was like sweeping leaves in a hurricane.
Other ways to say: Like drying your hands in the rain, like holding paper in a storm
Fun Fact/Origin: Hurricanes blow everything away.
Usage: Used when your actions don’t make a difference.
37. Filling a bucket with a hole
Meaning: Trying something that always fails
Example Sentence: Saving money when I keep spending felt like filling a bucket with a hole.
Other ways to say: Like scooping water with a strainer, like building with falling blocks
Fun Fact/Origin: A hole in a bucket makes it leak.
Usage: Used when you keep trying, but nothing stays.
38. Building stairs to the clouds
Meaning: A dream or idea too far away
Example Sentence: That goal was like building stairs to the clouds.
Other ways to say: Like building a ladder to the sun, like walking to the sky
Fun Fact/Origin: Clouds float far above us.
Usage: Used when dreams seem too far to reach.
39. Melting ice with your hands
Meaning: Trying to fix something that breaks in your hands
Example Sentence: Holding that fragile plan felt like melting ice with my hands.
Other ways to say: Like hugging snow, like grabbing a bubble
Fun Fact/Origin: Body heat melts ice.
Usage: Used when you break something by trying too hard.
40. Pouring water uphill
Meaning: Doing something against nature
Example Sentence: Changing his mind was like pouring water uphill.
Other ways to say: Like making snow fall in summer, like flying down a hole
Fun Fact/Origin: Water flows downhill naturally.
Usage: Used when efforts go the wrong way.
41. Turning lead into gold
Meaning: Trying to make something ordinary into something perfect
Example Sentence: That old bike becoming brand new again felt like turning lead into gold.
Other ways to say: Like painting dirt into diamonds, like changing paper into money
Fun Fact/Origin: Alchemists once tried to do this but failed.
Usage: Used when people want a miracle change.
42. Taming a tornado
Meaning: Controlling wild, dangerous behavior
Example Sentence: Getting the crowd to quiet down felt like taming a tornado.
Other ways to say: Like hugging lightning, like holding a storm in your hand
Fun Fact/Origin: Tornadoes are powerful and unpredictable.
Usage: Used when things feel too wild to manage.
43. Riding a bike through a wall
Meaning: Facing something that can’t be passed
Example Sentence: That task felt like riding a bike through a wall—no way to get through.
Other ways to say: Like walking through a mountain, like running into a brick
Fun Fact/Origin: Walls block paths.
Usage: Used when something is totally blocked.
44. Playing music with no instrument
Meaning: Trying to perform with no tools
Example Sentence: Joining the band without a trumpet felt like playing music with no instrument.
Other ways to say: Like cooking with no food, like painting with no brush
Fun Fact/Origin: You need tools to create sound.
Usage: Used when someone has no resources.
45. Driving with no wheels
Meaning: Trying to move forward with nothing to help
Example Sentence: Starting that business without help was like driving with no wheels.
Other ways to say: Like swimming with no water, like flying without wings
Fun Fact/Origin: Cars can’t go anywhere without wheels.
Usage: Used when something won’t work without key parts.
Quiz: Metaphors for Impossible
Instructions: Choose the best answer that matches the meaning of the metaphor. Think about real-life situations in the USA. Each question has only one correct answer.
Question Key
1. What does “trying to catch smoke with your hands” mean?
A) Holding something heavy
B) Doing something that can’t really be done
C) Playing with your shadow
2. What does “putting toothpaste back in the tube” mean?
A) Cleaning your bathroom
B) Undoing something that’s already happened
C) Fixing a broken toy
3. “Teaching a fish to ride a bike” is used when…
A) Something is easy and fun
B) You want to ride a bike
C) You try to do something that doesn’t make sense
4. What does “painting the wind” describe?
A) Painting outdoors
B) Doing something that’s not possible to hold or control
C) A fun art project
5. “Sweeping leaves in a hurricane” means…
A) Cleaning your yard before winter
B) Trying to help when the situation is too messy
C) Getting ready for a parade
6. If something is “like driving with no wheels,” what does it mean?
A) It’s a fun car ride
B) You can’t go anywhere without the tools you need
C) You’re riding a bike
7. “Taming a tornado” means…
A) Calming down something wild and out of control
B) Enjoying a windy day
C) Flying a kite
8. “Growing flowers on concrete” means…
A) Trying to grow things in a garden
B) Doing something peaceful
C) Trying something that will not work
9. If someone says, “It’s like turning back time,” they mean…
A) They can fix everything
B) They wish they could change the past, but they can’t
C) They love clocks
10. “Running a race with no finish line” describes…
A) A fun running game
B) A task that has no clear end or goal
C) Winning a medal
11. “Building stairs to the clouds” means…
A) Climbing a mountain
B) Having a dream or goal that’s too far away
C) Visiting an airplane
12. “Putting lightning in a bottle” means…
A) Playing with weather
B) Trying to capture something wild and powerful
C) Watching fireworks
13. If something is “like melting ice with your hands,” it means…
A) You’re staying warm
B) You’re trying to fix something, but it slips away
C) You’re drinking cold water
Answer Key
- B) Doing something that can’t really be done
- B) Undoing something that’s already happened
- C) You try to do something that doesn’t make sense
- B) Doing something that’s not possible to hold or control
- B) Trying to help when the situation is too messy
- B) You can’t go anywhere without the tools you need
- A) Calming down something wild and out of control
- C) Trying something that will not work
- B) They wish they could change the past, but they can’t
- B) A task that has no clear end or goal
- B) Having a dream or goal that’s too far away
- B) Trying to capture something wild and powerful
- B) You’re trying to fix something, but it slips away
Wrapping Up
Metaphors help people in the USA talk about hard or impossible things in ways that are easier to understand. Saying things like “catching smoke” or “driving with no wheels” paints a clear picture. These phrases are common in school, sports, and even at home.
They remind us that some things just can’t happen, no matter how hard we try. But they also show us how to describe those moments in fun, clear ways. Next time something feels way too hard, maybe one of these metaphors will help you explain it.
