irreplaceable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irreplaceable
First recorded in 1800–10; ir- 2 + replaceable
Explanation
The adjective irreplaceable describes anything that's one of a kind, particularly if it has deep sentimental value to you, like your grandmother's irreplaceable engagement ring. When you replace something, you get something that's just like it, but if something is irreplaceable, there's just no substitute. It might be a special thing given to you by a loved one, like your great-grandfather's pocket watch or something that can't be made again, like an irreplaceable painting or an old floor made from a species of wood that's no longer harvested.
Vocabulary lists containing irreplaceable
Kindred
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!
A Tangle of Knots
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!
Week 4 Spelling
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.
“Now I understand,” she writes, “there are no ordinary lives—that every death is the end of a single event in time’s history: an event so improbable it represents a miracle, and irreplaceable in every particular.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
The water reached shoulder-height in her house, but she has learned to live with the loss of irreplaceable belongings damaged or washed away in the flood.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
The early version of the method required more fossil material than a museum would reasonably sacrifice from such an important and irreplaceable specimen.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026
The Beatles legend called Parton a "magnificent star", Oprah said she "brought the light" and the Rocket Man singer dubbed her a "giant of an artist" who was "irreplaceable".
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
But here, some of those things were irreplaceable.
From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
