Examples of unable in a Sentence
I was unable to afford the trip.
He was unable to play tennis after the injury.
Recent Examples on the Web
On update calls, Andy Sriubas, a former advertising executive put in charge of the field offices, seemed unable to answer specific questions.
—
E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
The man was given medical assistance by firefighters, but was unable to come down the ladder of the crane due to his condition, the Fire Department said in Facebook post.
—Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
The Iranian effort to formalize control over the channel raised new concerns about international shipping, with hundreds of commercial ships bottled up in the Persian Gulf and unable to reach the open sea.
—Adam Schreck, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
The Miami Herald was unable to verify if the note really was written by Epstein.
—Shirsho Dasgupta
updated May 6, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unable
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.
E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 7 May 2026
The man was given medical assistance by firefighters, but was unable to come down the ladder of the crane due to his condition, the Fire Department said in Facebook post.
—Maven Navarro, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
The Iranian effort to formalize control over the channel raised new concerns about international shipping, with hundreds of commercial ships bottled up in the Persian Gulf and unable to reach the open sea.
—Adam Schreck, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
The Miami Herald was unable to verify if the note really was written by Epstein.
—Shirsho Dasgupta
updated May 6, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unable
Cite this Entry
“Unable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unable. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unable
adjective
un·able
ˌən-ˈā-bəl 
ˈən-
: not able : incapable
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
