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
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.
The question now is whether the post-Paris fabric of international climate cooperation is still resilient enough to forestall the irreversible symptoms of an overheating planet. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2024 The incident led to Mo calling out Haile in a very public takedown of his former peer, leading to seemingly irreversible damage in their friendship. Marc Griffin, VIBE.com, 19 Nov. 2024 While rocking out to a favorite song is fun, regularly listening to loud music or other audio through personal listening devices can cause irreversible ear and hearing damage. Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 2 Nov. 2024 Newsletter Sign up for our email newsletter for the latest science news One of the big ideas of modern science is that small things can sometimes have huge, irreversible consequences. The Physics Arxiv Blog, Discover Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near irreversible

Cite this Entry

“Irreversible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irreversible. Accessed 29 Nov. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!