1
as in hopeless
not capable of being cured or reformed
unfortunately, he was destined to live out his days as an irrecoverable alcoholic
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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Recent Examples of irrecoverable
During the Kursk operation, the enemy has already lost over 38,000 soldiers in this single direction alone, with approximately 15,000 of them irrecoverable losses.
—
Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
This kind of situation occurs when irrecoverable past investments drive decisions, even when those costs are irrelevant to future outcomes.
—Shanna Apitz, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
The damage done by Biden-Harris is not irrecoverable.
—Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2024
In Germany, bad debt relief requires that the debt is considered irrecoverable, assessed based on the individual facts of each case.
—Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024
The resulting jet of propellant that vented into space acted as an impromptu rocket that could have pushed the spacecraft into an irrecoverable tumble.
—Michael Greshko, Scientific American, 19 Jan. 2024
The West in fact faces a crucial choice right now: support Ukraine so that its leaders can defend their territory and prepare for a 2025 offensive or cede an irrecoverable advantage to Russia.
—Jack Watling, Foreign Affairs, 3 Jan. 2024
Two of these horses were euthanized on the day of the Derby itself after suffering irrecoverable injuries, their trainers told The Associated Press.
—Justin Klawans, The Week, 9 May 2023
One line of thinking is that Russian forces would execute a swift, overwhelming strike meant to inflict massive and irrecoverable losses on the Ukrainian military that would spur a political capitulation (and possibly a change in government) in Kyiv.
—Nolan Peterson, WSJ, 20 Jan. 2022
Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
This kind of situation occurs when irrecoverable past investments drive decisions, even when those costs are irrelevant to future outcomes.
—Shanna Apitz, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
The damage done by Biden-Harris is not irrecoverable.
—Gary Franks, Hartford Courant, 1 Nov. 2024
In Germany, bad debt relief requires that the debt is considered irrecoverable, assessed based on the individual facts of each case.
—Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 8 Sep. 2024
The resulting jet of propellant that vented into space acted as an impromptu rocket that could have pushed the spacecraft into an irrecoverable tumble.
—Michael Greshko, Scientific American, 19 Jan. 2024
The West in fact faces a crucial choice right now: support Ukraine so that its leaders can defend their territory and prepare for a 2025 offensive or cede an irrecoverable advantage to Russia.
—Jack Watling, Foreign Affairs, 3 Jan. 2024
Two of these horses were euthanized on the day of the Derby itself after suffering irrecoverable injuries, their trainers told The Associated Press.
—Justin Klawans, The Week, 9 May 2023
One line of thinking is that Russian forces would execute a swift, overwhelming strike meant to inflict massive and irrecoverable losses on the Ukrainian military that would spur a political capitulation (and possibly a change in government) in Kyiv.
—Nolan Peterson, WSJ, 20 Jan. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irrecoverable
Adjective
-
There are so many hopeless people out there struggling right now financially and with providing for their families.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
18 Mar. 2025
-
Sabah had a hopeless prognosis: severe brain edema.—
Ayesha Khan,
The New Yorker,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
The death penalty is a cruel and irreversible punishment that is racially biased, and ineffective as a deterrent.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
-
Last year was also the first in which the world crossed the threshold of 1.5°C of warming over pre-industrial levels that the Paris Climate Accord declared a benchmark to be avoided, lest the planet tip into irreversible climate catastrophe.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
TIME,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Lawmakers warn that evidence critical to future war crimes investigations may be irretrievable.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
20 Mar. 2025
-
And there was data that was lost, that was irretrievable.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The Government likely faces irreparable harm to ongoing, highly sensitive international diplomacy and national-security operations.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
-
On Tuesday, a judge put a stop to Trump’s effort to cut off funding for the non-profit Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, concluding that the administration’s efforts to shut it down would cause irreparable harm.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Wynn suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, an incurable eye disease.—
Alex Isenstadt,
Axios,
16 Mar. 2025
-
Its lead drug candidate, a potential drug for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung disease, has shown positive results in a mid-stage human trial in the U.S., the company said in November.—
Zinnia Lee,
Forbes,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
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
Cite this Entry
“Irrecoverable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irrecoverable. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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