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irretrievably

American  
[ir-i-tree-vuhb-lee] / ˌɪr ɪˈtri vəb li /

adverb

  1. in a way or to an extent that cannot be retrieved, repaired, or restored.


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.

See Examples For:

A column here last week reminded readers that the U.S. faced a similar dilemma in 1945: how to convince a battered and irretrievably weakened Japan that the war was over.

From The Wall Street Journal Mar. 13, 2026

“It could be in no danger … or it could already be irretrievably lost.”

From MarketWatch Feb. 4, 2026

But even if that were to happen, said Shosh Sasson, 72, there was a sense of something having been irretrievably shattered.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 7, 2025

The jury at Swansea Crown Court began deliberations on Tuesday, but were discharged on Wednesday morning, with Judge Paul Thomas KC saying the trial had been "irretrievably compromised".

From BBC Oct. 9, 2024

I took that long strong hand, looked up into those deep brown eyes, and fell irretrievably in love.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

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