Untreatable: meaning, definitions and examples

This is used to describe a condition or disease that cannot be cured or effectively controlled with existing treatments. It emphasizes that current medical interventions are not sufficient.

• Unfortunately, the infection was untreatable with the antibiotics available.
• Doctors informed the family that the disease was untreatable with modern medicine.

Often used to describe a disease or condition that has no known cure, highlighting the permanence of the condition. While incurable implies the condition cannot be fully eradicated, it might still be managed or alleviated.

• After extensive tests, the patient was diagnosed with an incurable genetic disorder.
• Despite ongoing research, the illness remains incurable.

Relevant in contexts where surgery is not an option to treat the disease or condition. It suggests that the condition cannot be addressed or improved through surgical means, often due to location, stage, or risk factors.

• The tumor was located in such a way that it was inoperable.
• Given the advanced stage of the cancer, it was deemed inoperable.

Used to refer to a disease or condition that will eventually lead to death, with a focus on the end-of-life aspect. It often carries a very serious and somber tone.

• She was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and was given six months to live.
• Hospice care was recommended for the terminal patient.