irreversible

play

adjective ir·re·vers·ible \ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-bəl\

Definition of irreversible

: not reversible

irreversibility

play \ˌir-i-ˌvər-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

irreversibly

play \ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-blē\ adverb

See irreversible defined for English-language learners

See irreversible defined for kids

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 of irreversible from the Web

In addition to leaving McGrath susceptible to infection, the condition seemed, for many, irreversible.

— allie gross, Detroit Free Press, "Beaumont plastic surgeon takes cases others said couldn't be done," 15 July 2017
If a species is completely wiped out, that’s an important and irreversible loss.

— ed yong, The Atlantic, "It's a Mistake to Focus Just on Animal Extinctions," 10 July 2017
By comparison, the Great Recession lowered global GDP by about 6 percent, in a onetime shock; Hsiang and his colleagues estimate a one-in-eight chance of an ongoing and irreversible effect by the end of the century that is eight times worse.

— david wallace-wells, Daily Intelligencer, "When Will the Planet Be Too Hot For Humans? Much, Much Sooner Than You Imagine.," 9 July 2017
When spectators look upward to watch a firework show, falling debris may cause irreversible eye injury.

— amelia cheatham, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Firefighters: How to prevent July 4 from going up in flames," 30 June 2017
What’s different about the current moment is this: In technological revolutions past, rapid and irreversible changes caused massive dislocation, but over time those revolutions created new and often better kinds of work.

— Fortune, "Why Free Money for Everyone Is Silicon Valley’s Next Big Idea," 29 June 2017
Then-Interior Secretary Sally Jewell visited King Cove in 2013 and ultimately decided that a road would do irreversible damage to the refuge.

— erica martinson, Alaska Dispatch News, "Interior Department advances effort to permit the King Cove road," 29 June 2017
Damage may be irreversible after about 10 minutes without oxygen, and recovery is virtually impossible after 15 minutes.

— don sapatkin, Philly.com, "Opioid-related hospitalizations soar in Pennsylvania," 28 June 2017
Just this week, MSCI Inc. decided against raising Argentina to emerging market status because it wasn’t convinced the changes were irreversible, costing the nation billions in new investment.

— charlie devereux, Bloomberg.com, "Fernandez Back in Argentine Politics as She Runs for Senate," 24 June 2017

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.

First Known Use of irreversible

1630

IRREVERSIBLE Defined for English Language Learners

irreversible

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adjective

Definition of irreversible for English Language Learners

: impossible to change back to a previous condition or state

IRREVERSIBLE Defined for Kids

irreversible

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adjective ir·re·vers·i·ble \ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-bəl\

Definition of irreversible for Students

: impossible to change back to a previous condition : impossible to reverse irreversible harm

Medical Dictionary

irreversible

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adjective ir·re·vers·ible \ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-bəl\

Medical Definition of irreversible

: incapable of being reversed : not reversible an irreversible medical procedure: asa: impossible to make run or take place backward irreversible chemical synthesesbof a colloid : incapable of undergoing transformation from sol to gel or vice versacof a pathological process : of such severity that recovery is impossible irreversible brain damage