irrecoverable

adjective

ˌir-i-ˈkə-v(ə-)rə-bəl How to pronounce irrecoverable (audio)
Definition of irrecoverablenext
1
as in hopeless
not capable of being cured or reformed unfortunately, he was destined to live out his days as an irrecoverable alcoholic

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irreversible
not capable of being repaired, regained, or undone one computer file proved to be irrecoverable after the crash

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of irrecoverable Countless documents were left lying out in the open and quickly became irrecoverable. — Amer Matar, The Dial, 26 May 2026 At the same time, much of the world is facing water bankruptcy, meaning people and industries are using more fresh water than nature can replenish, leading to irrecoverable ecosystem damages. — Abraham Nunbogu, Fortune, 29 Apr. 2026 An irrecoverable loss of the entirety of our personal data. — Shannon Bond, NPR, 11 Mar. 2026 Broadly speaking, this is probably not irrecoverable damage to the ecosystem. — Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 5 Jan. 2026 Crestfallen fans have begun demanding refunds for hundreds of dollars in ticket purchases to defray irrecoverable travel and lodging costs. — Jia H. Jung, Mercury News, 11 July 2025 Customs Duties are irrecoverable whereas VAT paid by a business can in principle be reclaimed, but not always. — Robert Marchant, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irrecoverable
  1. hopeless
  2. irreversible
  3. irretrievable
  4. irreparable
  5. unrecoverable
  6. incurable
Adjective
  • This latest attempt to move, a hopeless punt to have his contract annulled in order to leave on a free sooner, will likely see anger return at Selhurst Park on Friday night against Manchester City.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Ever the hopeless romantic, Ted searches for the love of his life through a constant series of twists, turns, diversions, blue French horns, slap bets, and yellow umbrellas.
    — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of hopeless
Adjective
  • None of this is irreversible, which is precisely why the CDC’s complacency is so hard to forgive.
    — A.J. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Dimensions | Getty Millions of people roll money from a workplace retirement plan to an individual retirement account each year — and mistakes can prove both costly and irreversible.
    — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of irreversible
Adjective
  • That probably makes the loss of faith among England fans irretrievable.
    — The Athletic UK Staff, New York Times, 16 July 2026
  • The message had found us, against steep odds, but the meaning was irretrievable.
    — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of irretrievable
Adjective
  • Recent research showed that overreliance on groundwater during the drought caused irreparable harm to the county’s aquifers.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Those issues go to irreparable harm, meaning a harm that can’t be remedied by money, which plays an important role in the litigation.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of irreparable
Adjective
  • If the answer involves customer harm, regulatory exposure or unrecoverable decisions, AI as autonomy is being requested at the wrong scope.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • The business also has made Space Shuttle drag parachutes for the orbiter, and parachutes that deploy from the tails of F-22 and F-35 military jets to break them from unrecoverable stalls or spins.
    — Pat Maio, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
Definition of unrecoverable
Adjective
  • Additionally, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, underwent a lung transplant in June after being diagnosed in 2018 with chronic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung condition.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Metastatic breast cancer remains incurable, and treatment generally continues with the goals of controlling the disease, extending life, managing symptoms and preserving quality of life.
    — Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of incurable

Browse Nearby Words

irreconcilable
irrecoverable
irredeemable
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Cite this Entry

“Irrecoverable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrecoverable. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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