irrevocable

adjective

ir·​rev·​o·​ca·​ble i-ˈre-və-kə-bəl How to pronounce irrevocable (audio)
ˌi(r)-,
sometimes
ˌir-(r)ə-ˈvō-kə- How to pronounce irrevocable (audio)
: not possible to revoke : unalterable
an irrevocable decision
irrevocability
i-ˌre-və-kə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce irrevocable (audio)
ˌir-(r)ə-ˌvō-kə-
noun
irrevocableness
i-ˈre-və-kə-bəl-nəs How to pronounce irrevocable (audio)
ˌir-(r)ə-ˈvō-kə-
noun
irrevocably
i-ˈre-və-kə-blē How to pronounce irrevocable (audio)
ˌi(r)-
 sometimes  ˌir-(r)ə-ˈvō-kə-
adverb

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Irrevocable and Trusts

Irrevocable has a formal sound to it and is often used in legal contexts. Irrevocable trusts are trust funds that cannot be dissolved by the people who created them (the other kind is a revocable trust). An irrevocable credit is an absolute obligation from a bank to provide credit to a customer. Irrevocable gifts, under U.S. tax law, are gifts that are given by one living person to another and can't be reclaimed by the giver. But the word isn't always legal; we've all had to make irrevocable decisions, decisions that commit us absolutely to something.

Examples of irrevocable in a Sentence

She has made an irrevocable decision.
Recent Examples on the Web But Putin’s return to the presidency in 2012 marked the beginning of a swift, brutal, and irrevocable shift toward autocracy. Andrei Kolesnikov, Foreign Affairs, 7 Mar. 2024 The shock of his sudden, irrevocable disappearance propelled me deeper into my astronomy books. Adam Frank, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2024 The group has received $280 million in irrevocable funding since 2019. Darius Tahir, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Within seven days of the transaction (had been 10 days under the 2012-16 Collective Bargaining Agreement), the player can either be traded or placed on irrevocable outright waivers. USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2024 For example, an irrevocable trust created by Aunt Jane on her passing, e.g., under her will, might include just one trustee or any combination of the following (depending on what is in the legal document and what state law permits): · Co-trustee. Martin Shenkman, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 This departure from the IRS's previous stance on modifications of irrevocable trusts raises questions about the extent of this change. Matthew Erskine, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 Maybe green skin does paint you marginal in a deeper, more irrevocable way. EW.com, 9 Oct. 2023 Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has been developing a peace plan with other Arab states that would condition normalizing ties with Israel on the creation of an irrevocable path to a Palestinian state. Dalia Dassa Kaye, Foreign Affairs, 1 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin irrevocabilis, from in- + revocabilis revocable

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of irrevocable was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near irrevocable

Cite this Entry

“Irrevocable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irrevocable. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

irrevocable

adjective
ir·​rev·​o·​ca·​ble (ˈ)ir-ˈ(r)ev-ə-kə-bəl How to pronounce irrevocable (audio)
: not capable of being revoked
an irrevocable decision
irrevocably adverb

Legal Definition

irrevocable

adjective
ir·​rev·​o·​ca·​ble ir-ˈre-və-kə-bəl How to pronounce irrevocable (audio)
: not capable of being revoked
the offer was irrevocable for ten days
irrevocability noun
irrevocably adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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