beyond retrieval
idiom
1
: not able to be brought back
The old data is now beyond retrieval.
2
: not able to be corrected, cured, or saved
The patient may be beyond retrieval.
The situation is beyond retrieval.
Examples of beyond retrieval in a Sentence
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George was nearly beyond retrieval, a tiny glint of a mote, like a wayward flea.
—
Cynthia Ozick, The New Yorker, 14 June 2021
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Cynthia Ozick, The New Yorker, 14 June 2021
Cite this Entry
“Beyond retrieval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beyond%20retrieval. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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