irreplaceable

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˌɪrəˈpleɪsəbəl/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    Impossible to replace; so unique or valuable that no substitute can serve the same purpose or hold the same value.; Of a person, so valued or beloved that no one else could fulfill their role or occupy their place in one's life.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Comparative: more irreplaceable Superlative: most irreplaceable

Collocations

irreplaceable partirreplaceable roleirreplaceable assettruly irreplaceableirreplaceable valueirreplaceable contribution

Derivatives

replacereplaceablereplacementirreplaceablyirreplaceability

Synonyms

uniqueinvaluableindispensablepricelessessentialone-of-a-kind

Antonyms

replaceabledisposableexpendable

Commonly confused

indispensable
EN: 'Indispensable' means absolutely necessary and cannot be done without; 'irreplaceable' means cannot be substituted or replaced by another.
invaluable
EN: 'Invaluable' means extremely valuable (beyond price); 'irreplaceable' specifically means no substitute exists.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the prefix is 'ir-' (not 'in-') because it assimilates before the 'r' in 'replaceable'. Also note the double 'l' is not present: 'irreplaceable', not 'irreplaceble'.

💬 Examples

  1. The ancient manuscript was irreplaceable, so it was kept in a climate-controlled vault.

  2. After her retirement, the team realized she had been an irreplaceable member.