as in contradictory
formal
so different that agreement is not possible
They thought the two theories were irreconcilable with each other.
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Recent Examples of irreconcilable
But if Judd’s literalism and Caro’s illusionism represent the extreme and irreconcilable ends of the artistic spectrum during the ’60s and ’70s, Bove’s work integrates and combines these apparent artistic antipodes with a contemporary twist.
—
Gordon Hughes, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
How irreconcilable is the clash between maintaining or building middle-class wealth on the one hand, and making housing more affordable to a wide swath of renters and would-be owners on the other?
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 24 Feb. 2026
In both negotiations, opposing sides appear to have irreconcilable demands.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
His wife, Agnes, is central to this film, and the loss of their son haunts them both in irreconcilable ways until a miracle of an ending brings them together at the Globe theater.
—Lisa Rosen, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irreconcilable
Gordon Hughes, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2026
How irreconcilable is the clash between maintaining or building middle-class wealth on the one hand, and making housing more affordable to a wide swath of renters and would-be owners on the other?
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 24 Feb. 2026
In both negotiations, opposing sides appear to have irreconcilable demands.
—Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 17 Feb. 2026
His wife, Agnes, is central to this film, and the loss of their son haunts them both in irreconcilable ways until a miracle of an ending brings them together at the Globe theater.
—Lisa Rosen, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for irreconcilable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irreconcilable
Adjective
-
America’s 250th birthday calls for a history as sprawling and contradictory as the country itself.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Your statement is contradictory and oxymoronic.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There are like three conflicting things.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The idea was that enough conflicting information would tire people out.—
Lauren Cassidy,
The Conversation,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In addition to reinforcing the fiduciary standards that are already in place for community associations, this will help to establish stronger grounds for claims involving unilateral acts by directors, inadequate reserve planning, inconsistent rules enforcement, or failures in management oversight.—
Evonne Andris,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Maybe—but the effects are likely to be modest and inconsistent.—
Patricia Weiser,
Verywell Health,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But in Aristotle’s typology, where virtue is a mean between two opposing extremes, the opposite of a vice tends to be another vice.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
When steel made its entrance into Bulgari’s world of jewelry, the durable material was set against the nobility of gold — bringing the opposing materials into dialogue.—
Fairchild Studio,
Footwear News,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But what passes for branding in commercial circles is antithetical to democratic values when a sitting president puts his name on federal property and policy initiatives, say experts.—
Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Until April 4, 2026, the lasting memory between these transcendent but antithetical bigs was that of Jokic’s signature shot thwarted.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, and Menin, a moderate democrat, have developed an antagonistic relationship in their first months of leadership.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Federal efforts to kill the project California must also contend with a federal government antagonistic toward offshore wind.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Over on the opposite side of the kitchen is the bathroom.—
Adam Williams
April 22,
New Atlas,
22 Apr. 2026
-
Bosch star Titus Welliver, Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight), Li Jun Li (Sinners) and Elizabeth Lail (You) are set as new series regulars opposite star Gabriel Basso in the Netflix action thriller from Sony Pictures TV, which is relocating from New York to Los Angeles for its fourth installment.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Irreconcilable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irreconcilable. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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