incapable

adjective

in·ca·pa·ble | \ (ˌ)in-ˈkā-pə-bəl

Definition of incapable

1 : lacking capacity, ability, or qualification for the purpose or end in view: such as

a archaic : not able to take in, hold, or keep

b archaic : not receptive

c : not being in a state or of a kind to admit : insusceptible

d : not able or fit for the doing or performance : incompetent

2 : lacking legal qualification or power (as by reason of mental incompetence) : disqualified

Other Words from incapable Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about incapable

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Other Words from incapable

incapability \ (ˌ)in-ˌkā-pə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

incapableness \ (ˌ)in-ˈkā-pə-bəl-nəs

\ noun

incapably \ (ˌ)in-ˈkā-pə-blē

\ adverb

Examples of incapable in a Sentence

hired a supremely incapable assistant who only made a mess of things

Recent Examples on the Web

But most medical experts maintain that a fetus at 13 weeks is incapable of cognitive function. — Julyssa Lopez, Glamour, "What Unplanned Gets Wrong About Abortion, According to Experts," 11 Apr. 2019 And our government, which these guys cover, is fully incapable of understanding or legislating it, or regulating it. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "Full Q&A: NBC journalists Chuck Todd, Andrea Mitchell and Hallie Jackson on Recode Decode," 5 Dec. 2018 The mechanism for triggering it is the vice president taking the first step and getting a majority of the Cabinet to assert that the president is incapable of fulfilling his duties. — Sean Illing, Vox, "Can the 25th Amendment be invoked to remove Trump from office? I asked one of its authors.," 14 Feb. 2019 The situation has only deteriorated under Donald Trump, whose stewardship has permanently polarized Congress, and who seems incapable of working in tandem with anyone in his own cabinet, much less anyone in Republican leadership. — Fox News Staff, Fox News, "The GOP battle for the speakership intensifies," 7 Sep. 2018 Facebook had cut off their access to the social network’s developer system and wasn’t returning their calls, leaving employees unable to do work for existing clients and the sales team incapable of selling their services during the scandal. — NBC News, "Inside the final days of Cambridge Analytica: failed rebrands, fleeing clients and Nerf basketball," 18 May 2018 For the most part, these efforts have been quiet and efficient, since their perpetrators are secure in the knowledge that their boss is uninterested in or incapable of exercising meaningful oversight. — Jay Willis, GQ, "Trump Officials Are Now Openly Bragging About How Corrupt They Are," 25 Apr. 2018 To me, she was trapped in her own strange world, driven by her own mysterious motivations, and hopelessly incapable of being normal. — Jennifer Rabiner*, Redbook, ""Why Don't I Like My Own Child?"," 10 Nov. 2016 But even the less facially-objectionable ones are still, for the most part, elderly white men whose billions of dollars have rendered them incapable of countenancing any ideas that might affect their bottom line in the slightest. — Jay Willis, GQ, "Why the NFL's New Anthem Policy Is Beyond Stupid, Explained," 24 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'incapable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.