incorrigible

American  

[in-kawr-i-juh-buhl, -kor-] / ɪnˈkɔr ɪ dʒə bəl, -ˈkɒr- /

adjective

1. not corrigible; bad beyond correction or reform.

   incorrigible behavior; an incorrigible liar.

2. impervious to constraints or punishment; willful; unruly; uncontrollable.

   an incorrigible child; incorrigible hair.

3. firmly fixed; not easily changed.

   an incorrigible habit.

4. not easily swayed or influenced.

   an incorrigible optimist.

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noun

1. a person who is incorrigible.

incorrigible British  

/ ɪnˈkɒrɪdʒəbəl /

adjective

1. beyond correction, reform, or alteration

2. firmly rooted; ineradicable

3. philosophy (of a belief) having the property that whoever honestly believes it cannot be mistaken Compare defeasible

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noun

1. a person or animal that is incorrigible

Other Word Forms

• incorrigibility noun
• incorrigibleness noun
• incorrigibly adverb

Etymology

Origin of incorrigible

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Latin word incorrigibilis. See in- ³, corrigible

Example Sentences

This family was so, well, incorrigibly miserable, one might easily conclude that they too were under a curse.

From Literature

As an incorrigible collector of classical music recordings for 30 years, I confess I have never thought of the National Symphony Orchestra’s appearance on an album cover a reason to buy it.

From The Wall Street Journal

As it happens, sending astronauts to the moon and Mars ranked at the bottom of the list of priorities — something that probably won’t affect Musk’s incorrigible enthusiasm for the red planet.

From Salon

The Times, taking the opposite line, reported that Glenn and another student, Brendon Barr, were adjudged “incorrigible” and clocked in a stockade as a last resort.

From Los Angeles Times

Having signed a bipartisan package of bills, Newsom will ask voters to approve billions of dollars aimed at alleviating California’s seemingly incorrigible homelessness crisis.

From Salon

Related Words

• hardened