The idiomatic expression "a unregenerate" describes someone who is stubbornly resistant to change, reform, or improvement, particularly in their habits, beliefs, or behavior. It implies a deep-seated unwillingness to adopt better ways or abandon negative traits.
The word "unregenerate" comes from a theological context, referring to someone who hasn't experienced spiritual rebirth or conversion. Over time, its meaning broadened to encompass a general resistance to positive change. The register is generally considered formal or semi-formal.
"A unregenerate" is typically used as an adjective preceding a noun, describing a person or entity. It can be modified by adverbs (e.g., "a truly unregenerate liar"), but negating it directly (e.g., "not an unregenerate X") is less common and might sound awkward. It's rarely used in questions.
Using "unregenerate" to describe something that can literally regenerate (like a lizard's tail) would be a misapplication of the idiomatic meaning. Similarly, using it in very informal contexts might sound out of place.
These examples are sourced from a unregenerate on Ludwig.guru.
"This is a cooler, sexually mellower sparring match, between an unregenerate spinster and a confirmed bachelor." — The New York Times
"Mr. Sahl himself turns 77 in May as an unregenerate skeptic, not so much a liberal as a radical, a perch that keeps him above the run-of-the-mill political fray, allowing him, as ever, to lampoon the insensitivity of Republicans, the smugness of Democrats and the self-interest of all of them." — The New York Times - Arts
"Diana remained an ethereal beauty and an unregenerate fascist until the day she died at 93, just four years ago." — The New York Times - Books
"For eight years, the police chief had been a retired state trooper who was an unregenerate sexist." — The New Yorker
"Being an unregenerate carnivore (as I'm called by a friend who never eats anything but fish and vegetables), I avoid the fishy crowds and head for the Blew family farm stand." — The New York Times - Arts
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/a+unregenerate
| Phrase | Context |
|---|---|
| incorrigible | Emphasizes the inability to be corrected, often used humorously. |
| irrepressible | Highlights an inability to be restrained, suggesting high spirits. |
| unrepentant | Focuses on a lack of remorse or regret. |
| hardened | Suggests a long-term resistance to change, often due to negative experiences. |
| set in their ways | A more informal expression for being resistant to change. |
| diehard | Implies strong and unwavering adherence to a belief or practice. |
| entrenched | Suggests the quality is deeply rooted and difficult to remove. |
| Expression | Idiomatic Meaning | Register | Avoid In |
|---|---|---|---|
| a unregenerate | Stubbornly resistant to change or improvement | Formal/Semi-formal | Very informal settings, literal contexts of physical regeneration |
"A unregenerate" is almost always used figuratively to describe someone's character or behavior. While the word "regenerate" can have a literal meaning in scientific contexts (e.g., a limb regenerating), the phrase "a unregenerate" is exclusively used to denote a person's stubborn resistance to positive change.
Both "a unregenerate" and "incorrigible" describe someone difficult to change, but "incorrigible" often carries a lighter, more humorous tone. "A unregenerate" suggests a deeper, more ingrained resistance to reform, while "incorrigible" implies that someone's behavior is simply difficult to correct.
A common mistake is assuming it relates to a lack of physical regeneration or renewal. To avoid this, remember that "a unregenerate" is primarily used to describe someone who is stubbornly resistant to changing their behavior, beliefs, or habits for the better; think of it as someone unwilling to be "reborn" in a figurative sense.
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