inoperable

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-bəl How to pronounce inoperable (audio)
Definition of inoperablenext
1
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order we have several inoperable cars on the property

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in useless
not capable of being put to use or account a delightfully creative but inoperable plan for building a theme park in the area

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of inoperable Once authorities seized them, the Justice Department says QScan and QTRouter became inoperable. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The Kia Sportage was stuck on the lip of one end of the bridge, causing the span to become inoperable, the sheriff’s office said. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026 Worse yet, doctors told her that the tumor was inoperable and had spread to multiple parts of her brain. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 22 Aug. 2026 Last December, Lawler and her colleagues published a new metric called the CRASH Clock, which estimates what would happen in orbit if every single satellite suddenly became inoperable. — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inoperable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperable
  1. malfunctioning
  2. useless
  3. down
  4. impractical
  5. inoperative
  6. unusable
  7. nonfunctional
  8. unsuitable
Adjective
  • Homeowners reported a swift meeting at which officers discussed a reorganization of their specific duties and the hiring of an elevator expert to fix the chronically malfunctioning, overloaded elevators.
    — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Watching the first episode of Ultimate Girl’s Trip is like riding in a malfunctioning time machine.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of malfunctioning
Adjective
  • This is effective when done correctly and useless when done almost correctly.
    — Ronald Stair, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Of course, these same politicians were nowhere to be found in the past six months of this useless war.
    — Colleen Kujawa, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of useless
Adjective
  • The down low on domoic acid In recent weeks, dozens of sea lions suffering from domoic acid poisoning have turned up on beaches from Monterey County to Sonoma County — and some fear this is only the beginning.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Stock futures are higher before the bell following a down day on Wall Street.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of down
Adjective
  • Nonlinear editing changed how films are cut; digital cinematography changed how they are shot and reviewed; visual effects and virtual production made once-impractical images possible.
    — Partner Content, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026
  • That would be impractical in Soho and unthinkable in Times Square.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of impractical
Adjective
  • If the main engines were to become inoperative, six smaller orbit-control thrusters can still be activated on the lunar surface, providing an alternative pathway for a rapid ascent.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026
  • And there’s been plenty of media focus since then — including on inoperative toilets.
    — Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of inoperative
Adjective
  • At Lincoln Bay, Duke said their elevators sensed water and immediately went to the 10th floor, where they were locked in place and unusable until contractors cleared out the pit below.
    — Alex Harris, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Founded in 2022, The Alloy Market makes money by either refining unusable materials and taking a cut, or by listing usable items on their online resale marketplace.
    — Liz Knueven, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of unusable
Adjective
  • Subsense showed off a nonfunctional mock-up of a cap that looked like a cross between a baseball cap and a bike helmet.
    — Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Days said the focus of the project is not changing the machine's appearance or replacing a piece of Pittsburgh history, but repairing the internal components that have long been nonfunctional.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of nonfunctional
Adjective
  • And the religious character of this language is by no means unsuitable to this project of science that was bathed in biblical metaphors from the get-go—Code name Trinity, to cite just one example.
    — Artforum, Artforum, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Like other foods, bird seed is perishable and will spoil if it’s kept in unsuitable conditions.
    — Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of unsuitable

Browse Nearby Words

in one's cups
inoperable
inoperative
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inoperable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperable. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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