irretrievable

1 of 2

adjective

ir·​re·​triev·​able ˌir-i-ˈtrē-və-bəl 

: not retrievable : impossible to regain or recover

irretrievability

ˌir-i-ˌtrē-və-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

irretrievably

ˌir-i-ˈtrē-və-blē 

adverb

irretrievability

2 of 2

noun

ir·​retrievability "+ 

: the quality or state of being irretrievable

Synonyms of irretrievable

Adjective

• hopeless
• incurable
• irrecoverable
• unrecoverable
• irremediable
• incorrigible

Examples of irretrievable in a Sentence

Adjective

The data was irretrievable after the computer crashed.

the irretrievable breakdown of a marriage

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The message had found us, against steep odds, but the meaning was irretrievable. —Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2026

For Isaac, the film also captures something irretrievable. —Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026

Days before, Sheriff Nanos had said images were irretrievable. —Richard Ruelas, AZCentral.com, 1 Mar. 2026

This dreamscape of the island, like that of the jungle, illuminates in children’s literature a sense of utopia and longing about childhood as a not-quite-place, situated in an irretrievable past-yet-future, while at the same time rooted in an anti-utopian logic of adulthood. —Literary Hub, 17 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1702, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for irretrievable

• achievable
• believable
• conceivable
• perceivable
• receivable
• retrievable
• inconceivable
• unbelievable

Kids Definition

irretrievable

adjective

ir·​re·​triev·​able ˌir-i-ˈtrē-və-bəl 

: not capable of being recovered, regained, or remedied

irretrievably

-blē 

adverb