Make Your Point: IRONCLAD

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pronounce IRONCLAD:

EYE urn clad

Hear it.

connect this word to others:

If no bullet can penetrate it, call it ironclad.

And if no drop of water can penetrate it, call it water_____.

In either case, we could be talking about a ship—or something figurative, like an argument, or a promise.

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)

definition:

To be "clad" in something is to be clothed in it: to be wearing it.

Something ironclad, like a warship, is "clothed" in iron: it's covered or protected in iron, ready to resist damage. Check out the ironclad Merrimac, the ship hulking off to the right as it sinks the weaker ship on the left.

(Source)

So, if you say that something is ironclad, like a promise, a theory, or a routine, you mean it's so strong and so rigid that it reminds you of an unbeatable warship.

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Adjective: "an ironclad promise;" "Their agreement was ironclad."

Other forms:

"Ironclad" can also be a noun, meaning "a ship clad in iron," as in "Using their ironclads, they took down the enemy ships."

how to use it:

Pick the serious, dramatic, semi-common word "ironclad" when you want to compare something to an impenetrable warship.

You might say that someone has an ironclad grip on something. Or, you might talk about ironclad rules, oaths, promises, agreements, contracts, relationships, or evidence.

examples:

"For me, an ironclad rule during these past months is to be grateful for the smallest things."
— Ariana Huffington, as quoted in the New York Times, 30 April 2021

"She searched his face. There was no playfulness this time. His look was one of conviction, of guileless yet ironclad earnestness... 'Let me marry you, Laila. Today.'"
— Khaled Hosseini, A Thousand Splendid Suns, 2007

has this page helped you understand "ironclad"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "ironclad" without saying "rigid" or "inflexible."

try it out:

Fill in the blank: "(Some rule or expectation) is more like a general guideline than an ironclad rule."

Example 1: "'Never eat anything bigger than your head' is more like a general guideline than an ironclad rule."

Example 2: "Some old shibboleths like white wine with fish are more like useful guidelines that are anything but ironclad."
— Eric Asimov, New York Times, 24 May 2022

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for this month is Palindromes in Poems: Yay!

Check out the snippet of a poem, and supply the missing palindrome: the word spelled the same backward and forward, like "yay," "sees," or "racecar." Highlight the hints if you need them, and see the answer by scrolling all the way down. Enjoy!

Try this one today:

"To travel
This highway
Is intricate,
We may

Not pass
Those unmarked cars
Always, but our
_____

Will hold us true:
We need
Love
At a constant speed."

— Barbara Howes, "_____ and Unmarked Cars," 1965

To reveal the hints below, highlight the hidden white text.

Hint 1: The number of letters in this palindrome is... five.
Hint 2: The letter that this palindrome starts and ends with is... "R."

review this word:

1. One opposite of IRONCLAD is

A. METALLIC.
B. FLEXIBLE.
C. EXPANDED.

2. Knowing the definition of "ironclad," we could reasonably infer that a plant called an ironclad is _____.

A. invasive and diseased
B. hardy and robust, hard to kill
C. delicate and otherworldly, with hundreds of soft tendrils

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.

From my blog:
On vocabulary...
  36 ways to study words.
  Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
  How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.

From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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