nonretractable

7.9

Not able to be pulled back after you pull it out

adjective

: no retractable

Due to its nonretractable design, the safety mechanism cannot be reversed once activated.

Examples

They opted for a nonretractable model to ensure the anchor would remain securely in place.
The engineer assured us that the nonretractable feature of the component would enhance its durability.
I was returning from taking my nonretractable set to the jack when the clone stepped from behind a tree onto the gravel path in front of me.

Fiction book (1991)

Synonyms

irreversible

vsnonretractable

46 6.0

Not able to be changed back to how it was

is about being unable to be drawn back rather than undoing change

nonretractile

vsnonretractable

9.9

Cannot be pulled back into a covering, for example claws that stay out

is the same in meaning but differs only in word form

unreturnable

vsnonretractable

6.1

Not able to be made like it was before

is about being unable to be drawn back rather than restoring condition

nonreversible

vsnonretractable

7.0

Cannot be changed back or used with either side facing out

is about being unable to be drawn back rather than two-sided use

Antonyms

retractable

8 5.8

Something you can pull back when not in use

How Retractable

retractable

8 5.8

nonretractable

7.9

fixed

1.0

Surface Forms

nonretractable positive

Morphology

nonretractable = retractable (transparent) = non + retract + able

The word is formed by negating the adjective 'retractable' with the productive prefix 'non-', yielding the straightforward meaning 'not able to be retracted'.

Etymology

Nonretractable breaks into non- meaning 'not', re- meaning 'back', and tract meaning 'pull', the same root as tractor, a machine that pulls. So, nonretractable means something you 'cannot pull back' or 'cannot be drawn back'.