incorrigible

What does “incorrigible” mean?

adjective.(of a person or their tendencies) not able to be corrected, improved, or reformed.

SAT Usage

the term often appears in passages exploring themes of behavior, redemption, or social issues, emphasizing a person's inability to change despite attempts at reform. It implies a deeper level of stubbornness or resistance to change than similar words like "recalcitrant," which can suggest a more active defiance, while "unrepentant" focuses more on a lack of remorse.

Common Confusions

Incorrigible implies a person's inability to change despite efforts for reform, while unrepentant usually suggests a conscious refusal to feel remorse for one's actions.

Example Sentences

• The incorrigible liar could not be trusted despite every warning.

• The incorrigibles in the prison population are either lifers or habitual reoffenders.

• His dark soul was too incorrigible to repent, even at his execution.

• The laws of nature and mathematics are incorrigible.

Word Parts: How to Remember “incorrigible”

Break “incorrigible” into its parts: in- (not). Knowing roots like these helps you decode unfamiliar SAT vocabulary.

• Prefix: in- not (Latin)