irreparably

USAGE SUMMARY

"irreparably" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that cannot be repaired or fixed. Example: The damage to the artifact was deemed irreparably severe. Alternative expressions include "beyond repair" and "irreversible."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And the fact that, a few years after that, he'd blow up his evil dad on an oil rig the same day that an entire American city was destroyed by a nuclear blast cheapened it irreparably.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

After that, you'll alienate everyone you love, have a full-scale stress attack and come dangerously close to irreparably ruining the weekend for everyone.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Has the prime minister's popularity been irreparably dented?

The Economist

In a partisan democracy, nobody gets his way all the time; compromise is essential; and in the long run the best one can hope for is not to screw things up too irreparably.

The Economist

Some observers have questioned whether a business model that was once capable of producing huge and reliable profits has been irreparably damaged.

The Economist

Jokowi just about managed to sound enough of an economic nationalist to appease the voters without irreparably alienating foreign investors.

The Economist

Google irreparably damaged its reputation with the more idealistic geeks in January when it set up a censored version of its search service for Chinese users.

The Economist

Others fear the neighbourhood's character will be irreparably changed because of luxury housing.

The Economist

That same day, after almost a century of service, it cracked irreparably.

The Economist

But the announcement in April of its links with al-Qaeda may have irreparably damaged relations with wary Syrians.

The Economist

According to Derek Staples of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), some 80% of the fishing vessels along Sri Lanka's coastline have been damaged—half of them irreparably.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair this adverb with strong verbs like "damaged", "broken", "shattered", or "compromised" to maximize impact.

Common error

Do not use "irreparably" for minor or temporary inconveniences. For example, describing a "scratched phone screen" as "irreparably ruined" is usually an exaggeration that weakens your writing unless the damage truly prevents the device from ever functioning again.

Linguistic Context

The word "irreparably" functions as an adverb of manner or degree. It specifically modifies verbs (e.g. "cracked", "damaged") and adjectives (e.g. "broken", "lost") to indicate that a state of disrepair is absolute. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it frequently appears in passive constructions such as "has been irreparably damaged."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Encyclopedias

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Wiki

3%

Science

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "irreparably" is a high-utility adverb used to denote damage that is absolute and permanent. Ludwig AI highlights its frequent appearance in prestige journalism to describe significant shifts in politics, reputations, and structural integrity. Unlike softer terms, "irreparably" leaves no room for hope of restoration, making it a powerful tool for establishing the gravity of a situation. When using it, ensure the context warrants such a definitive claim of permanent loss.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

irretrievably

Focuses on the impossibility of recovering something that was lost.

irreversibly

Emphasizes that a process or transformation cannot be undone.

irrevocably

Suggests that a decision, action, or state cannot be revoked or changed.

permanently

A more common term denoting a state that lasts forever without change.

beyond repair

A descriptive idiomatic phrase emphasizing the physical impossibility of fixing something.

irredeemably

Often used in moral or social contexts to suggest something cannot be saved or made good.

fatally

Indicates that the damage was severe enough to lead to total failure or death.

irremediably

Implies that no remedy or solution can fix the situation.

incurably

Specific to medical conditions or persistent systemic flaws.

hopelessly

Adds a subjective layer of despair or lack of expectation for improvement.

FAQs

How to use "irreparably" in a sentence?

You can use it to modify verbs or adjectives concerning damage, such as: "The scandal has <a href="/s/irreparably+damaged" target="_blank" rel="alternative">irreparably damaged the politician's career."

What is the difference between "irreparably" and <a href="/s/permanently" target="_blank" rel="alternative">permanently?

While both mean something lasts forever, "irreparably" specifically implies that the state resulted from damage or a negative change that cannot be fixed, whereas <a href="/s/permanently" target="_blank" rel="alternative">permanently simply describes duration.

What can I say instead of "irreparably"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like <a href="/s/beyond+repair" target="_blank" rel="alternative">beyond repair, <a href="/s/irretrievably" target="_blank" rel="alternative">irretrievably, or <a href="/s/irreversibly" target="_blank" rel="alternative">irreversibly.

Is it spelled "irreparably" or "irrepairably"?

The correct spelling is "irreparably". Even though it comes from the verb "repair", the 'i' is dropped in the adverb form.