irretrievable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of irretrievable
1695–1705; ir- 2 + retrievable ( def. )
Explanation
Irretrievable means something that can’t be retrieved or recovered. If you have irretrievable memory loss, it means you'll never get your memories back. Golden retrievers are dogs who love to play fetch — they retrieve the ball, or bring it back over and over again. But if the ball gets stuck in a tree, they will just stand there, helplessly waiting for it to fall. Try to explain it a Golden Retriever in Latin: they are not ir- going to be able -able to get -retrieve- that ball = it is ir-retriev-able. If you suffer an irretrievable loss — like the death of someone you are close to — that means a loss you may never recover from.
Vocabulary lists containing irretrievable
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
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Stories of Ourselves
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Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 3
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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.
But while all three dreamlike films expertly mimic the imperfect act of remembering, Schilinski’s makes the past seem irretrievable — a ghost whose presence we can feel but not touch.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 23, 2026
The organisation's trustees decided Dr Halima Begum's position was "untenable" because of an "irretrievable breakdown in its trust and confidence" in her ability to do the job.
From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2025
The version of the internet I loved, the one where we could talk about sandwiches, is irretrievable.
From Slate ● Jun. 12, 2025
Under his now-defunct bill, at least one of the parties seeking a divorce on "irretrievable breakdown" grounds would have to present a witness who could testify to affirm the breakdown.
From Salon ● Feb. 20, 2025
It sinks like a stone, and the rope—which has been gnawed upon by the feral brains—snaps, sending the bell to the irretrievable depths.
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.
