incurable
gb/ɪŋkjˈʊɹəbəl/ us/ɪŋkjˈʊɹəbəl/
C1
Inglês
Acepções
0 acepção
adjective
C1
property
1
not able to be cured
If a disease is incurable, doctors cannot cure it.
Padrão de uso:
[an] incurable [disease/illness/condition]
Erro comum:
Do not confuse incurable (cannot be cured) with untreatable (cannot be treated at all); many incurable diseases can still be treated.
Sinônimos
curable (Not a synonym; opposite meaning.)
Antônimos
curable (Able to be cured.)
|
treatable (Able to be managed effectively with treatment.)
Colocações
an incurable disease
|an incurable illness
|an incurable condition
|incurable cancer
|incurable infection
|incurable heart disease
|incurable genetic disorder
|an incurable medical condition
|diagnosed with an incurable illness
|living with an incurable disease
Temas
health
|medicine
Exemplos
- The doctor explained that the disease is incurable, but treatment can slow its progression.
- Researchers are working to find a cure for this currently incurable condition.
- She was diagnosed with an incurable illness and started planning long-term care.
Exemplos para estudantes
- This illness is incurable.
- The condition is incurable, but it can be treated.
adjective
C1
state
2
having an illness with no cure
If someone is incurable, they have an illness that cannot be cured.
Padrão de uso:
[someone] is incurable
Erro comum:
In many contexts, speakers prefer 'has an incurable illness' rather than 'is incurable,' which can sound blunt.
Sinônimos
terminal (Often implies the illness will likely cause death soon; incurable does not necessarily.)
Antônimos
curable (Describes an illness that can be cured, and by extension a patient whose illness can be cured.)
Colocações
be incurable
|considered incurable
|incurable patients
|an incurable patient
|the incurable stage
|incurable cases
|incurable sufferers
Temas
health
|people
Exemplos
- At that point the doctors believed he was incurable.
- The hospice specializes in caring for patients who are incurable.
- She was told the condition was incurable, but that medication could help her symptoms.
Exemplos para estudantes
- He is not incurable; the doctors can treat him.
- They said her illness is incurable.
adjective
C1
property
3
impossible to change or stop
If something about a person is incurable, it cannot be changed.
Padrão de uso:
incurable [habit/addiction/romantic/optimist]
Erro comum:
In this figurative meaning, incurable is stronger than 'bad' or 'serious'—it suggests 'there is no fix.'
Sinônimos
incorrigible (Often describes a person who will not change their behavior.)
|
inveterate (Emphasizes a long-established habit or tendency.)
Antônimos
correctable (Able to be fixed or put right.)
|
remediable (Able to be improved or solved.)
Colocações
an incurable optimist
|an incurable romantic
|incurable habits
|an incurable addiction
|incurable pessimism
|incurable curiosity
|incurable cynicism
|incurable procrastination
|incurable nostalgia
|incurable tendency
Temas
behavior
|emotions
|personality
Exemplos
- He’s an incurable optimist, even when things are going badly.
- Her incurable curiosity often gets her into trouble.
- They argued that the corruption was incurable without major reform.
Exemplos para estudantes
- She is an incurable romantic.
- His bad habits feel incurable.
Substantivo
formal
C2
role
4
person with an incurable illness
An incurable is someone with an illness that cannot be cured.
Padrão de uso:
an incurable; the incurables
Erro comum:
This noun can sound old-fashioned or insensitive in modern contexts; 'a person with an incurable illness' is often preferred.
Sinônimos
patient (More general and more common; does not imply the illness cannot be cured.)
Antônimos
recovering patient (Someone expected to get better.)
Colocações
care for incurables
|a home for incurables
|the incurables ward
Temas
health
|people
Exemplos
- The charity originally focused on providing shelter for incurables.
- In older medical writing, the term 'incurables' was sometimes used for long-term patients.
Gramática
Forma no dicionário
incurable
AFI
GB/ɪŋkjˈʊɹəbəl/
US/ɪŋkjˈʊɹəbəl/
Sílabas e tonicidade
in - cur - able (3 sílabas)
Stress on 2nd syllable (cur)
Formas da palavra
Adjective
- Base: incurable
Noun
- Base: incurable
- Plural: incurables
Família de palavras
Expressões
an incurable optimist
1/ən ɪŋkjˈʊɹəbəl ˈɑptɪmɪst/
fixed phrase
someone always expecting good outcomes
A person who is always hopeful.
Exemplos
- She’s an incurable optimist who believes everything will work out.
- Even after the setback, he remained an incurable optimist.
an incurable pessimist
1/ən ɪŋkjˈʊɹəbəl pˈɛsəmɪst/
fixed phrase
someone always expecting bad outcomes
A person who is always negative about the future.
Exemplos
- Don’t ask him—he’s an incurable pessimist.
- She can sound like an incurable pessimist when she’s tired.
an incurable romantic
1/ən ɪŋkjˈʊɹəbəl ɹoʊmˈæntɪk/
fixed phrase
someone strongly drawn to romance
A person who always wants love and romance.
Exemplos
- He’s an incurable romantic who still writes love letters.
- She calls herself an incurable romantic, but she’s also practical.