as in small
formal
not able to be made smaller or simpler
They thought the world was made up of four irreducible elements: earth, air, fire, and water. an irreducible fraction
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Recent Examples of irreducible
Surely somebody was on the inside, holding power, and yet everybody here felt iced out, their privilege and their victimhood irreducible against one another; each personal combination private, hurtful, and too tender to touch.
—
Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
The refined view of entropy is one that sheds the false dreams of total efficiency and perfect prediction and instead concedes the irreducible uncertainty in the world.
—Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024
Reclaim what is unique and irreducible in these encounters—what cannot be accounted for by the systemic analysis.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2024
Ronald Bronstein, 2007) Ronald Bronstein’s sole directorial effort thrums with irreducible personality, an entrée into a chaotic, claustrophobic state of mind within an unforgiving urban environment.
—Indiewire Staff, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for irreducible
Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
The refined view of entropy is one that sheds the false dreams of total efficiency and perfect prediction and instead concedes the irreducible uncertainty in the world.
—Zack Savitsky, Quanta Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024
Reclaim what is unique and irreducible in these encounters—what cannot be accounted for by the systemic analysis.
—James Parker, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2024
Ronald Bronstein, 2007) Ronald Bronstein’s sole directorial effort thrums with irreducible personality, an entrée into a chaotic, claustrophobic state of mind within an unforgiving urban environment.
—Indiewire Staff, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2024
See All Example Sentences for irreducible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irreducible
Adjective
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In 2022, a consortium of private retirement-plan providers announced a collaboration to boost the portability of small retirement accounts.—
Daniel de Visé,
USA Today,
20 Apr. 2025
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The sheriff’s office handles homicide investigations for several smaller municipalities within the county.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As mentioned above, taking creatine in higher doses, such as 20 grams per day, may trigger minor side effects like water retention.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
21 Apr. 2025
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Commonly known as Tylenol, it's thought to reduce fever and relieve minor aches and pains by raising your body's pain threshold and regulating your body temperature.—
Andee Tagle,
NPR,
18 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irreducible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irreducible. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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