nonviable

adjective

non·​vi·​a·​ble ˌnän-ˈvī-ə-bəl 

: not viable : not capable of living, growing, developing, or functioning successfully

nonviable cells

a nonviable solution

… states that adopted the insurance reforms into law might find their markets nonviable without the federal subsidies and mandates.

—Timothy Jost

Examples of nonviable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During a late April town hall featuring the independent candidates, Getty, Macías and Sigcho-López all said nonviable candidates should drop out to consolidate votes against Republicans and Patty García. —Jack O'Connor, Chicago Tribune, 26 May 2026

The vet team amputated nonviable tissue from the tegu's tongue. —Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 30 Jan. 2026

Foreclosure would become nonviable as a means of tax collection — with no readily apparent alternative means for timely collection of the delinquent revenue. —Todd Spangler, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025

Such pregnancies are nonviable and can be fatal to the mother. —Peter Slevin, New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

nonviable

adjective

non·​vi·​a·​ble -ˈvī-ə-bəl 

: not capable of living, growing, or developing and functioning successfully

nonviable embryos