Definition of incapable
1 : lacking capacity, ability, or qualification for the purpose or end in view: such asa archaic : not able to take in, hold, or keepb archaic : not receptivec : not being in a state or of a kind to admit : insusceptibled : not able or fit for the doing or performance : incompetent
2 : lacking legal qualification or power (as by reason of mental incompetence) : disqualified
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Examples of incapable in a Sentence
hired a supremely incapable assistant who only made a mess of things
Recent Examples of incapable from the Web
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Flash floods are common in the desert southwest during July and August as thunderstorms become more numerous, dropping excessive amounts of rain on a landscape that is incapable of absorbing the extra liquid.
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Republicans are in control of every lever of government in Washington, but so internally divided as to appear incapable of governing.
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Fizgerald is a staunch believer in the mission of her agency, and has said that the private sector is incapable of performing its core functions.
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Advocates say capital punishment was not intended for people who are incapable of distinguishing between delusions and reality.
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The writer works in solitude, sequestered in a lonely house in a deserted town, incapable of producing a page.
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Firms including Russia's anti-virus Kaspersky Lab, said clues in the code indicate that the program's authors would have been incapable of decrypting the data, further evidence that the ransom demands were a smoke screen.
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However, there is also a faction of conservative hardbars who have a theological objection to any government program that helps those people incapable of writing fat campaign checks.
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Oils will hydrate much deeper than any moisturizer, and will of course add oil to the dry skin, which is incapable of producing enough itself.
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.
Origin and Etymology of incapable
Middle French, from in- + capable capable
INCAPABLE Defined for English Language Learners
incapable
playDefinition of incapable for English Language Learners
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: not able to do something : not capable
INCAPABLE Defined for Kids
incapable
playDefinition of incapable for Students
: not able to do something Penguins are incapable of flight.
Law Dictionary
incapable
Legal Definition of incapable
: lacking legal qualification or power (as by reason of mental incompetence) — see also incapacity
Learn More about incapable
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for incapable Spanish Central: Translation of incapable Nglish: Translation of incapable for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of incapable for Arabic speakers
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