irreducible
adjective
ir·re·duc·ible
ˌir-i-ˈdü-sə-bəl 
-ˈdyü-
1
: impossible to transform into or restore to a desired or simpler condition
an irreducible matrix
specifically
: incapable of being factored into polynomials of lower degree with coefficients in some given field (such as the rational numbers) or integral domain (such as the integers)
an irreducible equation
2
: impossible to make less or smaller
an irreducible minimum
Examples of irreducible in a Sentence
They thought the world was made up of four irreducible elements: earth, air, fire, and water.
Recent Examples on the Web
The most basic and irreducible requirements of meaningful transformations push against our wiring because big changes to form and structure introduce complexity, require time, and are defined by paradox.
—
Brené Brown, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
My point is that the formal elements of art can have a meaning irreducible to what a work says, and also that form and style very frequently stand in an ironic relationship to propositional content.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The Doomsday Clock is also political, picturing conditions that collectively contribute to the irreducible reality of a world in peril.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Increasing blessedness tends to anesthetize personality, but, especially in Hell, Dante’s characters are irreducible individuals, vivid and particular.
—Elisa Gonzalez, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irreducible
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Brené Brown, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2025
My point is that the formal elements of art can have a meaning irreducible to what a work says, and also that form and style very frequently stand in an ironic relationship to propositional content.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
The Doomsday Clock is also political, picturing conditions that collectively contribute to the irreducible reality of a world in peril.
—Jonathon Keats, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Increasing blessedness tends to anesthetize personality, but, especially in Hell, Dante’s characters are irreducible individuals, vivid and particular.
—Elisa Gonzalez, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for irreducible
Cite this Entry
“Irreducible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irreducible. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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Medical Definition
irreducible
adjective
ir·re·duc·ible
ˌir-i-ˈd(y)ü-sə-bəl
: impossible to bring into a desired or normal state
an irreducible hernia
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