Standard Lemma guide

ironclad

adj · noun · 10 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AY1 ER0 N K L AE2 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Covered with iron, steel, or (loosely) any other tough metal; armor-plated.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Unlike the average vehicle, cash delivery vans are ironclad and almost unstoppable.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: metalclad

2

adj

Meaning 2

Solid or certain; not able to be disputed or questioned; irrefutable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • The suspect had an ironclad alibi for his whereabouts on the night of the crime.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Rigorous; severe; exacting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • an ironclad oath or pledge

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Stubborn; inflexible.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A ship, vessel, or vehicle with a covering of iron, steel, or (loosely) any other tough metal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

An armor-plated warship, (especially) one preceding the invention of harveyized steel.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A wooden warehouse with an outer skin of corrugated metal.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

adjective satellite

Meaning 8

inflexibly entrenched and unchangeable

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • brassbound traditions
  • brassbound party loyalists
  • an ironclad rule

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: brassbound

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective satellite

Meaning 9

sheathed in iron plates for protection

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

a wooden warship of the 19th century that is plated with iron or steel armor

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: warship, war vessel, combat ship

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English iron Proto-Indo-European *gley-der. Proto-Germanic *klaiþijaną Proto-West Germanic *klaiþijan Old English clǣþan Middle English clethen Middle English clad English clad English ironclad From iron + clad.

Across languages

Translations

35 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Russian: бронено́сный (bronenósnyj) — covered with iron or steel armor
  • Dutch: staalhard — solid or certain
  • French: sans faille — solid or certain
  • French: béton — solid or certain
  • German: hieb- und stichfest — solid or certain
  • Polish: murowany — solid or certain
  • Russian: желе́зный (želéznyj) — solid or certain
  • Spanish: sin fisuras — solid or certain
  • Spanish: incontrovertible — solid or certain
  • Russian: желе́зный (želéznyj) — rigorous; severe; exacting
  • Spanish: afianzado — rigorous; severe; exacting
  • Spanish: blindado — rigorous; severe; exacting
  • Armenian: զրահակիր (zrahakir) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Armenian: զրահանավ (zrahanav) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Bulgarian: бронено́сец (bronenósec) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Catalan: cuirassat — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Chinese Mandarin: 鐵甲艦 /铁甲舰 (tiějiǎ jiàn) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Esperanto: kirasa — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • French: cuirassé — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Georgian: ჯავშნოსანი (ǯavšnosani) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Georgian: ჯავშნოსანი სამხედრო გემი (ǯavšnosani samxedro gemi) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Georgian: ჯავშნოსანი სამხედრო ხომალდი (ǯavšnosani samxedro xomaldi) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • German: Panzerschiff — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Hebrew: אֳנִיָּה מְחֻפַּת שִׁרְיוֹן (oniyah mekhupat shirion) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Hebrew: מוֹנִיטוֹר (monitor) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Ido: kurasonavo — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Italian: corazzata — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Persian: آهنپوش (âhan-puš) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Portuguese: encouraçado — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Portuguese: couraçado — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Russian: бронено́сец (bronenósec) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Spanish: nave acorazada — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Spanish: acorazado — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Ukrainian: бронено́сець (bronenósecʹ) — a ship covered with iron or steel
  • Ukrainian: па́нцерник (páncernyk) — a ship covered with iron or steel
Real reading context

ironclad in complete knowledge articles