irreconcilable
Americanadjective
-
incapable of being brought into harmony or adjustment; incompatible.
irreconcilable differences.
-
incapable of being made to acquiesce or compromise; implacably opposed.
irreconcilable enemies.
noun
-
a person or thing that is irreconcilable.
-
a person who is opposed to agreement or compromise.
adjective
noun
-
a person or thing that is implacably hostile or uncompromisingly opposed
-
(usually plural) one of various principles, ideas, etc, that are incapable of being brought into agreement
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irreconcilable
First recorded in 1590–1600; ir- 2 + reconcilable
Explanation
Your dad wants Mozart in the car and you want Eminem? That's an irreconcilable difference right there — two tastes or ideas or preferences so different from each other there can be no compatibility or middle ground. Diplomacy can't help, only headphones. Where would divorce lawyers be without this lovely word irreconcilable? Their clients don't just have differences with their spouses, they have "irreconcilable differences" — in other words, demands or points of view so distant from each other they can never be bought together. Bye-bye marriage, hello legal fees.
Vocabulary lists containing irreconcilable
Opposites Attract
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Go Set a Watchman
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Federalist Papers, No. 78 by Alexander Hamilton
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Irreconcilable differences among the partners by that year would mean termination of the USMCA.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 23, 2025
She has plenty of experience of being a child actor, having starred in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Irreconcilable Differences.
From BBC • Jan. 27, 2023
Nominated for her first Golden Globe that year for her performance in "Irreconcilable Differences," she was 7 years old at the time.
From Salon • May 13, 2022
Mick's nudging and cajoling of Musson represents backup of world-class ingenuity, especially on the Latin swinger Irreconcilable.
From The Guardian • Jan. 6, 2011
Irreconcilable as the thing may be with Western ideas, Nayland Smith had really told me that he believed the girl to be a slave.
From The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu by Rohmer, Sax
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
