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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of irretrievable
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
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
See All Example Sentences for irretrievable
Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 20 Mar. 2025
And there was data that was lost, that was irretrievable.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 2 Jan. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for irretrievable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for irretrievable
Adjective
-
All seemed hopeless for Moore and Mansell, until, out of the blue, a lawyer with the Office of the White House Counsel contacted Moore’s defense lawyers, Seitles and Litwin-Diego, in April to inquire about the case.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
30 May 2025
-
The longtime psych-rock staple co-wrote the album with filmmaker Matt Yoka to be a collection of American stories about hopeless kleptomaniacs, urban explorers, and other people who slip through the cracks.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
30 May 2025
Adjective
-
After exchanging insults on social media, Musk escalated the feud to what many believed was irreparable damage in two separate posts on his X account.—
Washington Examiner Staff,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
-
Thursday’s preliminary injunction made that relief more long term and acknowledged the irreparable harm that Chung could otherwise face.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
5 June 2025
Adjective
-
Steve Carell plays Randall Garrett, the group’s Peter Thiel-esque mentor who, not unlike the late Steve Jobs, has cancer that his doctor tells him is incurable.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
4 June 2025
-
The spread of an incurable disease and a spate of grove-destroying hurricanes have forced juice companies to rely heavily on oranges imported from Brazil and Mexico.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
5 May 2025
Adjective
-
Looming cuts to the VA may cause an irreversible blow if the VA stops providing comprehensive care to veterans and, instead, pushes veterans into seeing doctors in private practice.—
Jamie Rowen,
The Conversation,
30 May 2025
-
The bill defines ecocide as causing severe environmental harm either intentionally or through recklessness - where the harm is widespread, long-term or irreversible.—
Jamie Hailstone,
Forbes.com,
29 May 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
-
Then, use secure data-erasing software to completely wipe your PC, ensuring your personal information is unrecoverable.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
17 May 2025
-
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,
ArsTechnica,
7 May 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
They were joined by dozens of other performers across the rock ’n’ roll spectrum, from the hard-stomping Fleshtones to the incorrigible Supersuckers, to Tommy Stinson’s Bash & Pop, to the ageless Linda Gail Lewis — younger sister of music icon Jerry Lee Lewis.—
Jim Ruland,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
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Critics attack it the same way: the recent success of a provincial right-wing party led many to view Austria as a land of incorrigible neofascists, for which it was sanctioned by the EU.—
Paul Lendvai,
Foreign Affairs,
1 Mar. 2011
Cite this Entry
“Irretrievable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/irretrievable. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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