irreversible

adjective

ir·​re·​vers·​ible ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-bəl How to pronounce irreversible (audio)
: not reversible
irreversibility noun
irreversibly 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 The seemingly irreversible trend has been toward less paper, less ink, fewer print customers. Neal B. Freeman, National Review, 12 Mar. 2024 Climate change is accelerating that depletion, which threatens irreversible harm to American society. Christopher Flavelle, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 Our planet is reaching the tipping point of irreversible climate change if immediate action is not taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 Although nothing released by the Ute Tribe suggests its own recreational closure is irreversible, there’s no clue as to when, if ever, nonmember privileges might be restored. Natalie Krebs, Outdoor Life, 7 Feb. 2024 Em and Dex are allowed to evolve not as fictional characters do, in dramatic and irreversible leaps, but the way real people do, in bits and pieces with lots of swerves and reversals along the way. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Feb. 2024 Half of children did not receive a lead screening by their second birthday; families may not know if their homes or other environments are unsafe, which raises the potential for irreversible damage. Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Analysts described parts of the plan as carefully written to postpone long-term decisions about Gaza’s fate and to avoid irreversible confrontations with both domestic allies and foreign partners. Thomas Fuller, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Panera has faced three separate lawsuits over Charged Lemonade in recent months that claim the high levels of caffeine in the product has led to the deaths of two customers and irreversible health complications in another. Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'irreversible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1630, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of irreversible was in 1630

Dictionary Entries Near irreversible

Cite this Entry

“Irreversible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irreversible. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

irreversible

adjective
ir·​re·​vers·​ible ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-bəl How to pronounce irreversible (audio)
: impossible to reverse
an irreversible chemical reaction
irreversible damage
irreversibility noun
irreversibly adverb

Medical Definition

irreversible

adjective
ir·​re·​vers·​ible ˌir-i-ˈvər-sə-bəl How to pronounce irreversible (audio)
: incapable of being reversed : not reversible
an irreversible medical procedure
: as
a
: impossible to make run or take place backward
irreversible chemical syntheses
b
of a colloid : incapable of undergoing transformation from sol to gel or vice versa
c
of a pathological process : of such severity that recovery is impossible
irreversible brain damage
irreversibility noun
plural irreversibilities
irreversibly adverb

Legal Definition

irreversible

adjective
ir·​re·​ver·​si·​ble ˌir-rə-ˈvər-sə-bəl How to pronounce irreversible (audio)
: not reversible
an irreversible decision

More from Merriam-Webster on irreversible

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