Definition of unable
: not able : incapable: such asa : unqualified, incompetentb : impotent, helpless
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Examples of unable in a Sentence
I was unable to afford the trip.
He was unable to play tennis after the injury.
Recent Examples of unable from the Web
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Mutant genes resistant to the drive will thus be unable to spread.
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The elder Scott, unable to find a legitimate job and having a family to support, turned to hustling, becoming a player in the city’s underground numbers racket, the lottery-like daily gambling game played by many residents.
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Things get complicated for worshippers are unable or unwilling to eat gluten, because bread forms an important part of Catholic religious practice.
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Fans in those seats will see amenities such as exclusive club access and food service at a level that the team has been unable to provide at the Bradley Center.
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Find out more at CNN A black deliveryman in Bronx, New York has reportedly been unable to return to work after a Manhattan butcher handed him a homemade noose on April 5.
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Authorities actively searched for her, but were unable to find her.
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National Weather Service meteorologist Andy Chiuppi said the tornado formed so quickly that forecasters were unable to issue a warning ahead of time.
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In the public imagination, America is the brash young houseguest: violent, forthright with opinion, unimpressed by pretentious tradition, and permanently unable to shake off an unfortunate background in trade.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'unable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of unable
14th century
UNABLE Defined for English Language Learners
UNABLE Defined for Kids
unable
playDefinition of unable for Students
: not able I am unable to attend.
Learn More about unable
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See words that rhyme with unable Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unable Spanish Central: Translation of unable Nglish: Translation of unable for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of unable for Arabic speakers
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