irreversible

adjective

ir·re·vers·ible ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-bəl

Synonyms of irreversible

: not reversible

irreversibility

ˌir-i-ˌvər-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē

noun

irreversibly

ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-blē

adverb

Examples of irreversible in a Sentence

He suffered an irreversible loss of vision. The crisis has done irreversible harm to the countries' relations.

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

None of this is irreversible, which is precisely why the CDC’s complacency is so hard to forgive. — A.j. Russo, Baltimore Sun, 25 Aug. 2026 Dimensions | Getty Millions of people roll money from a workplace retirement plan to an individual retirement account each year — and mistakes can prove both costly and irreversible. — Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026 The National Trust for Historic Preservation had told the justices that project would likely become irreversible unless it is stopped now. — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026 The diagnosis was accurate but the treatment and care led to an irreversible outcome. — Dr. Shaheena Janjuha-Jivraj, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for irreversible

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of irreversible was in 1630

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Irreversible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irreversible. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

irreversible

adjective

ir·re·vers·ible ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-bəl

: impossible to reverse

an irreversible chemical reaction

irreversible damage

irreversibility

-ˌvər-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē

noun

irreversibly

-ˈvər-sə-blē

adverb

Medical Definition

irreversible

adjective

ir·re·vers·ible ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-bəl

: incapable of being reversed : not reversible

an irreversible medical procedure

: as

: impossible to make run or take place backward

irreversible chemical syntheses

of a colloid : incapable of undergoing transformation from sol to gel or vice versa

of a pathological process : of such severity that recovery is impossible

irreversible brain damage

irreversibility

-ˌvər-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē

noun

plural irreversibilities

irreversibly

-ˈvər-sə-blē

adverb

Legal Definition

irreversible

adjective

ir·re·ver·si·ble ˌir-rə-ˈvər-sə-bəl

: not reversible

an irreversible decision

irreversible

adjective

Synonyms of irreversible

Examples of irreversible in a Sentence

Word History

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Kids Definition

Medical Definition

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irreversible

adjective

Synonyms of irreversible

Examples of irreversible in a Sentence

Word History

Rhymes for irreversible

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition

Medical Definition

Legal Definition

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