1
as in hopeless
not capable of being cured or reformed
an irretrievable drug addict who had wasted a once-promising life
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in irreparable
not capable of being repaired, regained, or undone
this is just an irretrievable mess, so let's start all over again
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irretrievable
Once deleted, users can also manually empty the trash folder, making those files and communications irretrievable and truly deleted from the online platform.
—
Lars Daniel, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
Going into Comic-Con, Marvel really did need to reaffirm its swagger, to prove 2023 was a momentary ebb rather than the start of an irretrievable decline.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 28 July 2024
Until then, the damage to the New York business community and to the rule of law is irretrievable.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024
Given enough machinery and labor, roads were not irretrievable after all.
—Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for irretrievable
Lars Daniel, Forbes, 26 Sep. 2024
Going into Comic-Con, Marvel really did need to reaffirm its swagger, to prove 2023 was a momentary ebb rather than the start of an irretrievable decline.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 28 July 2024
Until then, the damage to the New York business community and to the rule of law is irretrievable.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2024
Given enough machinery and labor, roads were not irretrievable after all.
—Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for irretrievable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irretrievable
Adjective
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Previewing the playoffs with a playoff team draft Finding 3 positive thoughts for each of the NHL’s 15 most hopeless teams 16 stats: Blues’ turnaround, Lane Hutson’s stardom and Stars’ struggles Comments D Dan N. · 4h 17m ago Helle is thee best.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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Mimi seesaws between hopeless heroin addict and righteous truth-teller.—
Jeffrey Seller,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The government's removal would result in irreparable harm including exposure to violence, persecution, and family separation.—
Nicholas Creel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Apr. 2025
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Perhaps the Administration will eventually lose in court, but the harm already done will be irreparable.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Garden roses can also pick up the incurable rose rosette disease from wild-growing multiflora roses—an invasive rose with five-petaled, white flowers.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
13 Apr. 2025
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Her uncle was diagnosed with an incurable cancer, though he's been able to manage it by overhauling his diet in conjunction with regular chemotherapy rounds.—
Zoey Lyttle,
People.com,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The Japanese Foreign Ministry warned that the country has until about 2030 before the trend is irreversible.—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Apr. 2025
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More important, economists say, the rise of free trade may be irreversible, its benefits so powerful that the rest of the world finds a way to keep the system going, even without its central player.—
Mark Landler,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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Despite the incident, The Animal Haven reaffirmed its no-kill shelter status, and clarified that euthanasia in cases of irremediable canine aggression is in line with the Best Friends Animal Society's definition of no-kill.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
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Despite the incident, The Animal Haven reaffirmed its no-kill shelter status, and clarified that euthanasia in cases of irremediable canine aggression is in line with the Best Friends Animal Society's definition of no-kill.—
Raja Krishnamoorthi,
Newsweek,
13 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Even from beyond the grave, that man proves to be incorrigible in his audacity.—
Ayan Artan,
Vulture,
9 Mar. 2025
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Bridget’s old on-again, off-again boss/beau Daniel Cleaver (played by the gloriously incorrigible Hugh Grant) drifts in and out of the story.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
TIME,
14 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Irretrievable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irretrievable. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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