1
as in hopeless
not capable of being cured or reformed
believed that there was no such thing as an unrecoverable criminal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irreparable
not capable of being repaired, regained, or undone
the flood caused unrecoverable damage to our home
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 unrecoverable
Inducing opposite-phase steering above 30 or 40 mph could cause drastic instability at speed, creating a very rapid yaw moment that would likely cause an unrecoverable skid.
—
ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025
An older idea of Russia that has not yet been destroyed is taking revenge on new, innocent generations who are sacrificing their lives in pursuit of unrecoverable greatness.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 23 Jan. 2025
The damaged flight data recorder had been deemed unrecoverable for data extraction by South Korean authorities, who sent it to the United States for analysis at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board laboratory.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune Asia, 11 Jan. 2025
Only the heart’s memory, a delicate thread that binds us to eternity, tries to recover the unrecoverable — the fleeting moment with its mood, colors, and sounds.
—Andriy Sodomora (tr. Sabrina Jaszi & Roman Ivashkiv), The Dial, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unrecoverable
ArsTechnica, 7 May 2025
An older idea of Russia that has not yet been destroyed is taking revenge on new, innocent generations who are sacrificing their lives in pursuit of unrecoverable greatness.
—Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 23 Jan. 2025
The damaged flight data recorder had been deemed unrecoverable for data extraction by South Korean authorities, who sent it to the United States for analysis at the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board laboratory.
—Paolo Confino, Fortune Asia, 11 Jan. 2025
Only the heart’s memory, a delicate thread that binds us to eternity, tries to recover the unrecoverable — the fleeting moment with its mood, colors, and sounds.
—Andriy Sodomora (tr. Sabrina Jaszi & Roman Ivashkiv), The Dial, 12 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for unrecoverable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unrecoverable
Adjective
-
Those who are convinced they’re trapped stay helpless and hopeless.—
Amy Morin,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
-
In a world where the powerful increasingly act with impunity, taking fictional villains to task makes sense, a form of Hollywood wish fulfillment for those who feel stuck or hopeless.—
Whitney Friedlander,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
Adjective
-
Immediate, irreparable harm When the government creates a policy that might violate the Constitution or federal law, affected people can sue in federal court to stop it.—
Cassandra Burke Robertson,
The Conversation,
27 June 2025
-
Their outcomes are far from certain, and the cases might be decided only after irreparable damage has been done.—
Alex Reisner,
The Atlantic,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Customs Duty, which is irrecoverable. Import VAT, which can be reclaimed, provided correct steps are taken.—
Robert Marchant,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
-
The contents of the time capsule may become irrecoverable.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The usual one that pops into people’s heads is that fire seems to be an irreversible invention.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
-
Socotra needs to implement similar protections before damage becomes irreversible, Van Damme said.—
Shane Farrell,
NBC news,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
Choi seems to be exploring, if subtly, the limitless number of paths a person can take, the manifold consequences of choices that seem inconsequential, the ways interpersonal disputes can widen into irretrievable losses, the awkward intersections of agency and fate: If only this, if not for that.—
Book Marks
June 5,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
-
This prevents the irretrievable loss of expertise during transitions.—
Nick Hart,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
In April, the actor told PEOPLE exclusively that he'd been diagnosed with the incurable disease.—
Hannah Sacks,
People.com,
16 June 2025
-
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reinstated nearly 200 workers who screen coal miners for black lung, an incurable progressive disease caused by long-term exposure to coal dust, following a federal judge’s order Tuesday.—
Nathaniel Weixel,
The Hill,
14 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unrecoverable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unrecoverable. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share