unrealistic assignment

[ʌn.ri.ˈæl.ɪ.stɪk əˈsaɪn.mənt]
nounpl: unrealistic assignments
tarefa irrealista
1. A task or duty that is impractical, impossible to complete within given constraints, or based on false assumptions about feasibility
The teacher gave us an unrealistic assignment to write a 50-page research paper in one week.
A professora nos deu uma tarefa irrealista de escrever um trabalho de pesquisa de 50 páginas em uma semana.
2. A job or responsibility that demands more resources, time, or skills than reasonably available
It's an unrealistic assignment to expect one person to manage three departments simultaneously.
É uma tarefa irrealista esperar que uma pessoa gerencie três departamentos simultaneamente.
In Brazilian workplace culture, discussing unrealistic assignments is common during team meetings and performance reviews. The phrase reflects the importance placed on practical, achievable goals in professional settings. In American contexts, especially in tech and education, acknowledging unrealistic assignments is part of workplace negotiations and time management discussions.
NYC Slang
crazy ask / mission impossible
Synonyms / Sinônimos
impossible taskimpractical assignmentunfeasible taskover-ambitious projectunreasonable assignment
Antonyms / Antônimos
realistic assignmentfeasible taskachievable goalpractical assignment

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
tarefa irrealista
Most common and neutral usage across Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
tarefa de louco
Informal; literally 'crazy task'; used colloquially to emphasize impossibility
São Paulo
atribuição impraticável
More formal, business-oriented usage in corporate contexts
Portugal
tarefa irrealista
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; also used with 'atribuição impraticável' in formal settings

Related Words

deadlineworkloadexpectationsproject managementtask allocationresource constraints

Related Idioms & Phrases

bite off more than you can chew
ask for the moon
set someone up for failure
have your head in the clouds
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