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 groups argue that the project does not meet state water quality standards, and the impact will be irreversible. Laura Schulte, jsonline.com, 29 Oct. 2025 India was waiting for a game show that matched its hustling fin-de-siècle ethos, marking an irreversible break from the socialist values that had defined its first few decades as an independent nation. Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 28 Oct. 2025 In May 2014, NASA announced at a press conference that a portion of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet appeared to have reached a point of irreversible retreat. Evan Howell, Quanta Magazine, 20 Oct. 2025 Rising temperatures are wiping out the planet's warm-water coral reefs, and the dieback may be irreversible, according to the latest Global Tipping Points Report released by researchers worldwide. Robert Abitbol, USA Today, 18 Oct. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Irreversible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/irreversible. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

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!