irredeemable
Americanadjective
-
not redeemable; incapable of being bought back or paid off.
-
irremediable; irreparable; hopeless.
-
beyond redemption; irreclaimable.
-
(of paper money) not convertible into gold or silver.
adjective
-
(of bonds, debentures, shares, etc) without a date of redemption of capital; incapable of being bought back directly or paid off
-
(of paper money) not convertible into specie
-
(of a sinner) not able to be saved or reformed
-
(of a loss) not able to be recovered; irretrievable
-
not able to be improved or rectified; irreparable
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irredeemable
First recorded in 1600–10; ir- 2 + redeemable
Explanation
If something is beyond all hope, you can describe it as irredeemable — like your disastrously bad performance at the school talent show. Use the adjective irredeemable when there's no way to fix or save a person or situation. You could describe your aunt whose house is so full of stuffed animals that the door barely opens as an irredeemable hoarder, or your friend's cheap jewelry as irredeemable junk. It comes from the word redeem, which is related to redemption, whose root word is the Latin redimere, "buy back."
Vocabulary lists containing irredeemable
Vocabulary from the Vice-Presidential Debate, October 4, 2016
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!
Stamped
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 Wind in the Willows
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.
Like Lawrence’s other series, none of the characters in “Rooster” are irredeemable.
From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2026
Jesse Crozier, representing the BBC told the hearing the gross misconduct consensus has been reached because of the "irredeemable nature of the conduct" and a lack of "contrition" from Mr Murley during the disciplinary process.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2025
The next step is to turn from this focus on the death penalty’s irredeemable flaws to a broader critique of its moral offensiveness.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2024
To this, Johnson replied, "The culture is so dark and depraved that it almost seems irredeemable."
From Salon ● Nov. 21, 2023
The fear of not living is a deep, abiding dread of watching your own potential decompose into irredeemable disappointment when “should be” gets crushed by what is.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
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.
