What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
nonattainable
Example
The company's nonattainable sales targets led to employee frustration and burnout. [nonattainable: adjective]
Example
The dream of becoming an astronaut was nonattainable for her due to her poor eyesight. [nonattainable: adjective]
unattainable
Example
Winning the Nobel Prize in Physics was unattainable for him due to his lack of formal education. [unattainable: adjective]
Example
Her fear of public speaking made it unattainable for her to pursue a career in politics. [unattainable: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Unattainable is more commonly used than nonattainable in everyday language. Unattainable is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while nonattainable is less common and may be considered more formal or technical in some contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between nonattainable and unattainable?
While both words can be used in formal or technical contexts, nonattainable may be perceived as more formal due to its less common usage and the prefix 'non-', which implies negation or absence.
