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
Such systems are difficult to manage and control, and their complexity means that even small changes could have cascading knock-on effects that humans might be unable to manage effectively.
—
JSTOR Daily, 13 Nov. 2025
On Instagram, Golinsky said he'd been locked out of his email account and was unable to access his banking information.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025
Attorneys for detainees said Cummings' order, called a stay, is essential because detainees unable to reach their clients have been either deported or agreed to be deported.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 12 Nov. 2025
The scene keeps lingering on Guiteau an awkward extra second, as his praise of Garfield doesn’t land with its audience, and in the moments of highest vulnerability and disappointment, the scene uses the shots that just show each man alone, unable to connect with each other.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
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.
JSTOR Daily, 13 Nov. 2025
On Instagram, Golinsky said he'd been locked out of his email account and was unable to access his banking information.
—Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 12 Nov. 2025
Attorneys for detainees said Cummings' order, called a stay, is essential because detainees unable to reach their clients have been either deported or agreed to be deported.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 12 Nov. 2025
The scene keeps lingering on Guiteau an awkward extra second, as his praise of Garfield doesn’t land with its audience, and in the moments of highest vulnerability and disappointment, the scene uses the shots that just show each man alone, unable to connect with each other.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unable
Cite this Entry
“Unable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unable. Accessed 24 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unable
adjective
un·able
ˌən-ˈā-bəl 
ˈən-
: not able : incapable
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share