incurable

adjective

in·​cur·​able (ˌ)in-ˈkyu̇r-ə-bəl 

: not curable

an incurable disease

broadly : not likely to be changed or corrected

incurable optimism

incurable noun

incurably

(ˌ)in-ˈkyu̇r-ə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms of incurable

• hopeless
• incorrigible

Examples of incurable in a Sentence

an incurable flirt at school dances

Recent Examples on the Web

Patients with incurable or irreversible conditions will no longer have to certify annually. — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 29 June 2026

She had been diagnosed in 2006 — at age 46 — with late-stage follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which has long been deemed incurable. — Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 29 June 2026

With no way to secure this crucial boundary, Microsoft and its peers are left to erect complicated and ad hoc guardrails designed to rein in the consequences of this incurable gullibility. — Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 16 June 2026

Both are incurable, progressive and require daily maintenance to slow progression. — Jay Sparks, USA Today, 15 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Late Latin; Anglo-French, from Late Latin incurabilis, from Latin in- + curabilis curable

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for incurable

• curable
• durable
• endurable
• insurable
• nondurable
• procurable
• unendurable

Kids Definition

incurable

adjective

in·​cur·​able (ˈ)in-ˈkyu̇r-ə-bəl 

: not capable of being cured

incurably

-blē 

adverb

Medical Definition

incurable

adjective

in·​cur·​able (ˈ)in-ˈkyu̇r-ə-bəl 

: impossible to cure

an incurable disease

incurably

-blē 

adverb