incorrigible

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incorrigible

/ɪnˈkɒɹɪdʒəb(ə)l/ UK
/ɪnˈkɒɹɪdʒɪb(ə)l/ UK
/ɪnˈkɔɹɪd͡ʒəb(ə)l/ US
/ɪnˈkɔɹəd͡ʒəb(ə)l/ US

Where it comes from

From Middle English incorrigible, from Middle French incorrigible (1334), or directly from Latin incorrigibilis (“not to be corrected”), from in- (“not”) + corrigere (“to correct”) + -ibilis (“-able”), equivalent to in- + corrigible. Recorded since 1340.

adjective

not comparable Defective and impossible to materially correct or set aright. The construction flaw is incorrigible; any attempt to amend it would cause a complete collapse.
Similar: irreparable, uncorrectable
not comparable Unmanageable; impervious to correction by punishment or pain. an incorrigible youth
not comparable Incurably depraved; not reformable. His dark soul was too incorrigible to repent, even at his execution.
Similar: irredeemable, unreformable, reprobate
not comparable Unchangeably established in a belief or habit. Gordon Brown may have his grumpy, Granita moments, but as a strategist he is an incorrigible optimist.
Similar: determined, dyed-in-the-wool, hopeless, incurable, unalterable
not comparable, of a proposition or belief Intrinsically incapable of being corrected; impossible to disprove, by its very nature. The statement "My knee hurts" is incorrigible.
archaic, not comparable, of a disease Impossible to cure. It may appear as an epidemic, as a hereditary complaint, or as an obstinate and incorrigible disease again and again recurring.

Similar: axiomatic, unfalsifiable, incurable · Opposite: corrigible, correctable

noun incorrigibles

An incorrigibly bad person. The incorrigibles in the prison population are either lifers or habitual reoffenders.

Thesaurus

adjective

Similar: axiomatic, unfalsifiable, incurable · Opposite: corrigible, correctable

Translations

Every language

adj defective and materially impossible to correct or set aright

Español	incorregible
Português	incorrigível
Français	incorrigible
Deutsch	unverbesserbar
Русский	неисправи́мый neispravímyj

adj determined, unalterable

Español	incorregible
Deutsch	unverbesserlich

adj impervious to correction by punishment or pain

Español	incorregible
Português	incorrigível
Deutsch	unverbesserlich

adj incurably depraved

Español	empecatado
Português	incorrigível
Deutsch	unverbesserlich
العربية	عَنِيد ʕanīd

adj incurable

Русский	неизлечи́мый neizlečímyj

noun an incorrigibly bad individual

Français	incorrigible

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Cite this

MLA

"incorrigible." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/incorrigible. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

incorrigible. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/incorrigible

Chicago

"incorrigible." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/incorrigible.

BibTeX

@misc{incorrigible_2026,
  title = {incorrigible},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/incorrigible},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}