incurable

[in-kyoo r-uh-buh l]

See more synonyms for incurable on Thesaurus.com

adjective

not curable; that cannot be cured, remedied, or corrected: an incurable disease.
not susceptible to change: his incurable pessimism.

noun

a person suffering from an incurable disease.

Origin of incurable

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English word from Late Latin word incūrābilis. See in-³, curable

Related formsin·cur·a·bil·i·ty, in·cur·a·ble·ness, nounin·cur·a·bly, adverb

Synonyms

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2. unflagging, incorrigible, relentless.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for incurable

Contemporary Examples

Mengnan was told it was incurable, but that there was one medicine, Remicade, that might help.
Will US Health Care Follow in China’s Bloody Footsteps?
Daniela Drake
September 21, 2014
The truth is that a horrific, incurable virus is ravaging Guinea—and at least three other countries in West Africa.
The Fear That Killed Eight Ebola Workers
Abby Haglage
September 20, 2014
Women Living with Incurable STDs, argues that women are more often shunned when it comes to an STI.
The Silent Shame of HPV
Emily Shire
August 29, 2014
It is technically “incurable” but incurable in the same way that colds have no cure and sprained ankles have no cure.
Suffering From An ‘Incurable Respiratory Disease’ This Winter? Relax. It’s Just RSV.
Kent Sepkowitz
January 14, 2014
Despite being told that her disease was incurable, Carr refused to accept that there was nothing she could do about it.
So You Wanna Be Vegan? Start Here.
Alessandra Rafferty
February 23, 2013

Historical Examples

"Some restored, who were looked upon as incurable," interrupted Hamish.
The Channings
Mrs. Henry Wood
Her name was Madame Maze, and her heart was full of an incurable grief.
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete
Emile Zola
It takes so little in such moments as these to make wounds which are incurable.
A Comedy of Marriage and Other Tales
Guy De Maupassant
Many of them had been given up as hopelessly "incurable" by others yet I cured them.
The Mayflower, January, 1905
Various
It is affected with incurable marasmus, because its foundations are laid in error.
The Sexual Question
August Forel

British Dictionary definitions for incurable

incurable

adjective

(esp of a disease) not curable; unresponsive to treatment

noun

a person having an incurable disease

Derived Formsincurability or incurableness, nounincurably, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for incurable

adj.

mid-14c., from Old French incurable (13c.), from Late Latin incurabilis, from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + curabilis "curable" (see curable). Related: Incurably.

incurable in Medicine

incurable

(ĭn-kyur′ə-bəl)

adj.

Being such that a cure is impossible; not curable.

incurable

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Synonyms

Examples from the Web for incurable

Contemporary Examples

Mengnan was told it was incurable, but that there was one medicine, Remicade, that might help.

The truth is that a horrific, incurable virus is ravaging Guinea—and at least three other countries in West Africa.

Women Living with Incurable STDs, argues that women are more often shunned when it comes to an STI.

It is technically “incurable” but incurable in the same way that colds have no cure and sprained ankles have no cure.

Despite being told that her disease was incurable, Carr refused to accept that there was nothing she could do about it.

Historical Examples

"Some restored, who were looked upon as incurable," interrupted Hamish.

Her name was Madame Maze, and her heart was full of an incurable grief.

It takes so little in such moments as these to make wounds which are incurable.

Many of them had been given up as hopelessly "incurable" by others yet I cured them.

It is affected with incurable marasmus, because its foundations are laid in error.

incurable

Word Origin and History for incurable

adj.

incurable

Origin of incurable