irreversible

adjective

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ir·re·vers·ible | \ ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-bəl

Definition of irreversible

: not reversible

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Examples of irreversible in a Sentence

He suffered an irreversible loss of vision. The crisis has done irreversible harm to the countries' relations.

Recent Examples on the Web The abnormal scarring response is irreversible, and the severity of its effect varies widely from person to person. — Cindy Dampier, chicagotribune.com, "Deaths of 9/11 first responders from Ground Zero-related illnesses are on the rise — diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis are just beginning to take their toll," 10 Sep. 2019 Scientists warn that deforestation is approaching a tipping point — between 20 percent and 25 percent — when the degradation could become irreversible, and rainforest could become savanna. — Washington Post, "As Amazon burns, breathing problems spike," 28 Aug. 2019 Scientists warn that the Amazon is approaching a tipping point, at which the damage done to the forest could become irreversible. — Anchorage Daily News, "The Amazon is burning. Brazil’s president accused critics of setting fires to make him look bad.," 22 Aug. 2019 Scientists warn that the Amazon is approaching a tipping point, at which the damage done to the forest could become irreversible. — oregonlive, "Brazil’s president claims Amazon rainforest fires are being set by his critics," 22 Aug. 2019 In Boeing simulations of the crash, the window between when the system engaged and when the plane's nosedive became irreversible could be as small as 40 seconds. — Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, "Lion Air Pilots Had Less Than a Minute to Avert Fatal Crash," 27 Mar. 2019 Unfortunately, retirement is complicated, and your decisions can have irreversible consequences. — Washington Post, "Liz Weston: The 6 biggest retirement mistakes, and 1 defense," 16 Sep. 2019 That’s a number that scientists and policymakers have identified as a red line if the planet is to avoid catastrophic and irreversible consequences. — Chris Mooney, Anchorage Daily News, "Large parts of the globe have already passed a crucial climate threshold," 11 Sep. 2019 Hundreds of millions of people are living with the effects of global warming – some now irreversible. — Ban Ki-moon, Time, "These 5 Big Changes Are Key for Humanity to Survive a Warming Climate," 10 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'irreversible.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.