Irreparable
/ɪˈrɛpərəbl/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Irreparable describes damage or harm that is too great to be fixed or made good again. When something is irreparable, no action can return it to its original state or condition. This word is often used for serious problems, losses, or injuries.
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See It in Action
Damage or harm that cannot be fixed or repaired
- •The accident caused irreparable damage to the car.
- •The loss of trust was irreparable after the betrayal.
- •The fire did irreparable harm to the old building.
Serious injury or loss that cannot be undone
- •The injury was irreparable, ending his sports career.
- •The company suffered irreparable financial losses.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "irreparable" like "broken," but much stronger—something broken that you cannot fix or put back together
- ✓Picture a cracked phone screen that cannot be repaired, or a torn paper that is ripped into tiny pieces and cannot be glued back perfectly
- ✓It's the feeling of losing something very important that you cannot get back, like a friendship after a big argument
- ✓Sounds like "I-repair-able" but with "ir-" meaning "not" → so it means NOT repairable (cannot be repaired)
- ✓Imagine a vase falling and breaking into many pieces that cannot be glued back to look like before
- ✓NOT like "fixable" (can be repaired), "irreparable" means no way to fix or restore
- ✓NOT like "temporary damage" (can heal or be fixed), "irreparable" means permanent damage
- ✓NOT like "small damage" (easy to fix), "irreparable" means very serious or complete damage
Try Other Words
- •Irreversible: cannot be changed back (Use when emphasizing that the process or change cannot be undone)
- •Permanent: lasting forever (Use when focusing on something that lasts a long time or forever without change)
- •Unfixable: cannot be fixed (Use in informal contexts to mean the same as irreparable)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "ir-" means "not" or "without"
- •Root: "repair" means to fix or make something good again
- •Suffix: "-able" means "can be done"
- •Etymology: From Latin "irreparabilis," meaning "not able to be repaired"
- •Historical development: Used in English since the 1600s to describe things that cannot be fixed or restored
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe serious damage, loss, or harm that is permanent and cannot be corrected
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a situation where something was damaged but not irreparable? What made the difference?
•How does knowing the meaning of irreparable help you understand stories about accidents or losses better?
Fill in the blanks
1.The broken vase was ___ because the pieces were too small and many.
2.After the mistake, the trust between them was ___ and could not be rebuilt.
3.The flood caused ___ damage to the town, so many homes were lost forever.
4.Unlike small scratches, the deep cuts on the painting were ___ and could not be fixed.
5.The doctor said the injury was ___, meaning the patient would never fully recover.
6.When something is ___, no amount of effort can make it like new again.
7.The company faced ___ losses after the bad investment, and it could not recover financially.