Standard Lemma guide

irrefragable

adj · 3 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.

  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ɪˈɹɛfɹəɡəb(ə)l/
  • General-American, Received-Pronunciation: /ˌiɹəˈfɹæɡəb(ə)l/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Which cannot be refuted; clearly right, incontrovertible, indisputable, irrefutable.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: error-lua-exec

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incontestable, indubitable, unanswerable, undeniable, unquestionable, inarguable, incontrovertible, indeniable, indisputable, irrebuttable, irrecusable, irrefragable, nondeniable, unassailable, unattackable, unchallengeable, uncontrovertible, undebatable, undiscutable, undisputable, undoubtable, unimpeachable, unrebuttable, unrecusable, unshakable

Antonyms: contestable, controvertible, deniable, disputable, dubitable, questionable, refragable, refutable

2

adj

Meaning 2

Which cannot or should not be broken; indestructible.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inviolable, irresistible

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Of a person: obstinate, stubborn.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: adamant, ardent, grim, bent on, bloody-minded, bullheaded, certain, chronic, confirmed, determined, diehard, dogged, hard-hearted, hard-nosed, hardheaded, headstrong, immovable, incalcitrant, inflexible, irrefragable, insistent, intractable, intransigent, intrepid, inveterate, mulish, obdurate, obstinate, obstreperous, peevish, peremptory, persistent, pertinacious, pigheaded, recalcitrant, refractory, resolute, resolved, rigid, self-willed, stalwart, staunch, steadfast, steady, stubborn, stubborn as a mule, sullen, tenacious, terminal, thran, thwart, tough, truculent, unbending, uncompromising, unyielding, vehement, wilful, willful

Antonyms: bain, bendable, bendsome, bendy, flexible, flexile, limber, lithe

History

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Late Latin irrefrāgābilis (“irrefragable”) + English -able (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘able or fit to be done’). Irrefrāgābilis is derived from Latin ir- (variant of in- (prefix meaning ‘not’)) + refrāgārī + -bilis (suffix forming adjectives indicating a capacity or worth of being acted upon); while refrāgārī is the present active infinitive of refrāgor (“to oppose, resist; to gainsay, thwart”) (further etymology uncertain, possibly from re- (prefix meaning ‘again’) + fragor (“a breaking, shattering; a crash; din, uproar”) (from frangō (“to break, shatter”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bhreg- (“to break”))), formed as an antonym of suffrāgōr, the first-person singular present passive indicative of suffrāgō (“to support; to vote for”).

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: безспорен (bezsporen) — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • Bulgarian: неоспорим (neosporim) — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • French: irréfragable — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • Ido: nerefutebla — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • Italian: irrefragabile — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • Latin: irrefrāgābilis — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • Māori: whakaioio — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • Portuguese: irrefragável — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • Russian: бесспо́рный (besspórnyj) — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • Russian: неопровержи́мый (neoproveržímyj) — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • Russian: неоспори́мый (neosporímyj) — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable
  • Spanish: irrefragrable — which cannot be refuted — see also indisputable, irrefutable