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
  • Yet their portrait of the artist as a hopeless snot-nosed punk doesn’t seem interested in knowing who this guy was past being another dude in search of a purpose.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Echoing her sentiments, Shaharier remembered feeling hopeless when his baby boy was born so early.
    — Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 29 July 2026
Definition of hopeless
Adjective
  • Key Takeaways Taking more than 40 milligrams of zinc daily for long periods can cause copper deficiency and damage the nervous system, causing irreversible issues like numbness, muscle weakness, and vision problems.
    — Lindsay Curtis, Verywell Health, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Of the ongoing, cumulative, and irreversible harms to the environment, Roberts said nothing.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 10 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
  • The wounds pose the risk of irreparable damage, secondary infection, sepsis, and, in extreme cases, death.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 7 Aug. 2026
  • In law, irreparable harm means an injury that monetary damages cannot fully remedy.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 July 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
  • Adults with cancers considered incurable a generation ago are in remission years after a single infusion.
    — William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Since the mid-2000s, Krukow has been battling inclusion body myositis, a rare, progressive and incurable muscle disease.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 6 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 12 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on irrecoverable

Nglish: Translation of irrecoverable for Spanish Speakers

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