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
Since its release in late November, many of us have been unable to think about much other than Shane (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie), two closeted hockey players that spend years yearning for one another off the ice.
—
Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 1 Jan. 2026
Firefighters returned inside to search for a second resident but were unable to locate anyone else.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 1 Jan. 2026
When inflation was last a major issue more than 40 years ago, then-President Ronald Reagan and Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker were unable to resolve it without a major spike in unemployment in time for the 1982 midterm elections, leading to major Republican losses.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 1 Jan. 2026
However, her initial case ended in a mistrial in 2024 after a jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unable
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Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 1 Jan. 2026
Firefighters returned inside to search for a second resident but were unable to locate anyone else.
—Sergio Candido, CBS News, 1 Jan. 2026
When inflation was last a major issue more than 40 years ago, then-President Ronald Reagan and Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker were unable to resolve it without a major spike in unemployment in time for the 1982 midterm elections, leading to major Republican losses.
—W. James Antle Iii, The Washington Examiner, 1 Jan. 2026
However, her initial case ended in a mistrial in 2024 after a jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
—Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 31 Dec. 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 4 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unable
adjective
un·able
ˌən-ˈā-bəl 
ˈən-
: not able : incapable
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