an irreparable damage

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "an irreparable damage" is not correct in standard English; it should be "irreparable damage" without the article "an." You can use the phrase when discussing harm or injury that cannot be fixed or restored, typically in legal, environmental, or emotional contexts.
Example: "The oil spill caused irreparable damage to the marine ecosystem, affecting countless species."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

However, machine failure can have an irreparable damage, because it can stop the production line and waste time.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

The inexcusable exaggerated discourse portraying the Muslim American community as a growing danger causes an irreparable damage not only to that specific community, but to all spheres of our society in general.

Huffington Post

Consequently, the higher the ultraviolet B (UVB) dose cells receive, the more likely is that they suffer an irreparable damage and activate apoptosis.

Advanced healthcare materials

Heart failure commonly results from an irreparable damage due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States.

BioMed Research International

SSB and DSB, the two input nodes of the network, take three values corresponding to damage intensities: 0 for no damage, 1 for a reparable damage and 2 for an irreparable damage.

BMC Genomics

With the meeting today and the photographic exhibition, we want to launch a new and powerful appeal to civil society and the international community so that the thousands of Italians and foreign visitors that visit Rome recognize that when we speak of children harmed by armed conflict, there is an irreparable damage that humanity experiences when even one of these young lives is destroyed.

Unicef

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Necrosis is neither organized nor executed in a similar manner to apoptosis, and cell death is a consequence of irreparable damage (Henriquez et al., 2008).

Aging Cell

A lot of irreparable damage has been done to the union and I think there is a political awakening in this country that is not going to go away.

The Guardian

Accordingly, there is despair that we are passing on a legacy of irreparable damage to future generations which is entirely inconsistent with principles of sustainability.

Plosone

I tell you solemnly, there is nothing so beautiful as the sight of a sweet hooligan doing irreparable damage to the knees of an ageing shopkeeper with a homemade cosh, fashioned rudely from spare lead piping found in the back of Darren's transit van.

Vice

Two sets of oars were taken on the umpire's launch should such an eventuality arise and a clash result in irreparable damage.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to damage that cannot be repaired, use the phrase "irreparable damage" without the article "an". This is grammatically correct and widely accepted in formal writing.

Common error

The phrase "an irreparable damage" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "irreparable damage".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "an irreparable damage" functions as a noun phrase, typically used to describe a situation where harm or injury has occurred to such an extent that it cannot be fixed or reversed. However, as noted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically questionable, with the correct form being "irreparable damage".

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

48%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

12%

Encyclopedias

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "an irreparable damage" is used to describe harm that cannot be repaired. However, as Ludwig AI points out, this phrasing is generally considered grammatically incorrect, and the standard form is "irreparable damage". Although the example sentences show the phrase's appearance across various sources, the more accepted form should be used. When writing, replace the phrase with grammatically correct alternatives such as "irreparable harm" or "irreversible damage" to maintain grammatical accuracy while conveying the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

irreparable harm

Omits the article "an" and replaces "damage" with "harm", focusing on the detrimental effect.

irreversible damage

Replaces "irreparable" with "irreversible", emphasizing the impossibility of reversing the damage.

permanent damage

Replaces "irreparable" with "permanent", highlighting the lasting nature of the damage.

irreversible harm

Combines "irreversible" and "harm" to describe damage that cannot be undone.

irremediable damage

Substitutes "irreparable" with "irremediable", stressing the lack of a remedy or cure.

irreparable injury

Replaces "damage" with "injury", often used in a physical or legal context.

lasting damage

Focuses on the enduring quality of the damage, using a more common term.

irreversible detriment

Replaces "damage" with "detriment", highlighting the negative impact.

terminal damage

Emphasizes the severity and finality of the damage, suggesting a point of no return.

permanent impairment

Focuses on the reduction in function or ability caused by the damage.

FAQs

Is it correct to say "an irreparable damage"?

According to standard English grammar, it's more appropriate to say "irreparable damage" without the article "an". The phrase "an irreparable damage" is often perceived as grammatically incorrect.

What does "irreparable damage" mean?

The term "irreparable damage" describes harm or injury that is so significant that it cannot be repaired or reversed, leading to permanent consequences.

What are some alternatives to "irreparable damage"?

You can use alternatives like "irreversible damage", "permanent damage", or "irreparable harm" to convey a similar meaning.

In what contexts is the phrase "irreparable damage" typically used?

The phrase "irreparable damage" is often used in legal, environmental, and emotional contexts to describe situations where harm is irreversible and has lasting effects.