What does incorrigible mean?
Incorrigible means impossible to correct, improve, or reform. The adjective is commonly used for people whose habits, attitudes, or behaviour have become so firmly established that criticism and instruction have little effect. It can describe a habitual tendency, as in “an incorrigible optimist,” or someone who repeatedly resists correction. Because the word carries a strong suggestion of stubbornness or defiance, it often appears in humorous descriptions of familiar personality traits, while it can be more serious when referring to persistent misconduct. The adverb incorrigibly expresses an enduring or unchangeable degree of a quality, and the noun incorrigibility names the condition itself. Incorrigible is especially useful when ordinary words such as stubborn or unchangeable would not convey the combination of resistance to correction and the sense that the quality has become deeply ingrained.
adjectiveNot capable of being corrected, improved, or changed for the better. It is especially used of a person whose behaviour or outlook is deeply entrenched and resistant to reform.
- Incapable of being corrected, improved, or changed for the better.
- Stubbornly resistant to reform, instruction, or criticism, especially in describing a person.
"Despite repeated criticism, he remained an incorrigible optimist."
"The incorrigible student continued to mispronounce the word despite repeated correction."
"Her incorrigible enthusiasm for detective novels shaped her reading habits."
Incorrigible is a strong word for a person, habit, or attitude that has become so firmly established that correction seems almost impossible.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does incorrigible come from?
The word comes from Latin incorregibilis, meaning “not corrigible” or “incapable of being corrected.” It was formed with the negative prefix in- and corrigibilis, derived from corrigere, “to correct,” which also gives English words such as correct, correction, and corrigible. The English form developed with the meaning of being beyond correction and, by extension, being stubbornly resistant to improvement or reform.
Related word forms
How incorrigible is actually used
The word is formal and strongly evaluative. It is often humorous or ironic when applied to a familiar personal trait, such as optimism, curiosity, or enthusiasm, but more condemnatory when describing persistent wrongdoing or refusal to reform.
Easily confused with incorrigible
Incorrigible means impossible to correct or improve, whereas corrigible means capable of being corrected or reformed.