Advertisement
Advertisement
irreparable
[ih-rep-er-uh-buhl]
adjective
not reparable; incapable of being rectified, remedied, or made good.
an irreparable mistake.
irreparable
/ ɪˈrɛpərəbəl, ɪˈrɛprəbəl /
adjective
not able to be repaired or remedied; beyond repair
Other Word Forms
- irreparability noun
- irreparableness noun
- irreparably adverb
- ˌ貹ˈٲ noun
- ˈ貹 adverb
Word History and Origins
Origin of irreparable1
Example Sentences
Tuesday “to prevent immediate and irreparable harm” to the state.
The conference had been called after concern by the UN that oceans were facing irreparable damage, particularly from climate change.
"Absent at least interim relief from this Court, the United States plans to seek emergency relief from the Supreme Court tomorrow to avoid the irreparable national-security and economic harms at stake."
District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs, appointed by former President Obama, granted an immediate restraining order, agreeing with Harvard’s argument that the Trump directive would cause “immediate and irreparable harm” to the institution.
This, they said, subjected them to "humiliation, harassment and irreparable harm to their reputations and safety".
Advertisement
Related Words
When To Use
Irreparable and unrepairable both mean just about the same thing: unable to be repaired or fixed.They can be used in overlapping ways, but they are usually used in different contexts and situations.Irreparable is the more commonly used word. It can be applied to objects, such as machines or appliances, that can’t be repaired, but it’s perhaps most commonly used in the context of intangible things like circumstances and relationships. It’s especially used with the word damage, as in I’m afraid I’ve done irreparable damage to my reputation or The iceberg caused irreparable damage to the ship’s hull.On the other hand, unrepairable is typically reserved for physical objects that can’t be fixed, such as cars, tables, or computers, as in I hate that a lot of appliances are manufactured in a way that makes them unrepairable. Still, unrepairable can also be applied to intangible things in the same way that irreparable usually is.Here’s an example of irreparable and unrepairable used correctly in a sentence.Example of irreparable: Sources close to the team say that the relationship between the coaches and the players is irreparable at this point.Example of unrepairable: I’m really hoping my mechanic doesn’t tell me my car is unrepairable—I really don’t want to buy a new one. Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between irreparable and unrepairable.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Browse