unsalvageable

IPA/ʌnˈsæl.vɪdʒ.ə.bəl/
IPA/ʌnˈsæl.vɪdʒ.ə.bəl/

unsalvageable — adjective

  • unsalvageablepositive
  • more unsalvageablecomparative
  • most unsalvageablesuperlative

1. so badly damaged, broken, or ruined that there is no way to fix it or bring it b

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

so badly damaged, broken, or ruined that there is no way to fix it or bring it back

Example

After the fire, the firefighters told Amir that his workshop was unsalvageable.

unsalvageable describing a building or structure

The kitchen flooded overnight and the wooden cabinets were completely unsalvageable.

Synonyms
  • irreparable

    used more often for abstract damage to reputation, trust, or relationships

  • hopeless

    broader in scope; can describe people or situations without implying prior physical damage

  • beyond repair

    phrase equivalent, more conversational than 'unsalvageable'

Antonyms
  • salvageable

    able to be saved or rescued from damage or failure

Usage Note

Used for physical objects (buildings, vehicles, devices) as well as abstract things like relationships, plans, or situations that have failed completely.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Unsalvageable and irreparable both describe things that cannot be fixed, but they apply to different kinds of damage. Unsalvageable is the broader term — it covers physical objects ruined beyond recovery (a flooded car, a burned building) as well as failed situations (a broken friendship, a collapsed deal). Irreparable is narrower and more formal; it typically describes abstract harm that cannot be undone, such as irreparable damage to a reputation or irreparable harm to a child's development. Hopeless is the most general of the three and carries emotional weight — a hopeless situation may not involve prior damage at all, just a total lack of positive prospect. Beyond repair is the everyday conversational equivalent of unsalvageable: 'The washing machine is beyond repair — we'll need a new one.'

irreparable ↗hopeless ↗beyond repair ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • declared unsalvageable
  • rendered unsalvageable
  • considered unsalvageable

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English by adding the negative prefix un- to salvageable, which itself comes from salvage (to rescue or save from loss). Salvage entered English from Old French salver, ultimately tracing back to Latin salvare, meaning 'to save.'

First known use

1917

1917, in the meaning defined above