unusable

adjective

un·​us·​able ˌən-ˈyü-zə-bəl How to pronounce unusable (audio)
: not capable of being used or fit for use : not usable
unusable documentary footage
The lavatory, totally unusable, was full of snow which had blasted in through the keyhole.Katharine Sim
unusably adverb

Examples of unusable in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The contract calls for the company, known as METS, to provide the concrete, crush some of the debris so it can be reused on site and ferry materials to and from the airport on its barges, including unusable debris from the demolition. Patrick McGeehan, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2023 Advertisement Their calls grew more urgent last summer, when a breaker malfunction left the park’s floodlights inoperable and fields unusable after sunset for over a month. Emily Alvarenga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Sep. 2023 Until a few years ago, organs from such donors were considered unusable because of the risk of infecting the recipient. Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2023 Recent medical advances in treating infections such as hepatitis C and HIV have made previously unusable organs usable. Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2023 The conflict has exposed the extent to which NATO allies were sitting on stockpiles of arms and ordnance in poor or downright unusable conditions. The Editors, National Review, 20 Sep. 2023 Or worse, the wax melts unevenly, leaving you with an expensive eyesore or a downright unusable candle. Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 31 Aug. 2023 Cafeterias and kitchens were unusable; students’ 45-minute commutes turned into two hours; one school was temporarily evacuated. Colbi Edmonds, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2023 As well, the BSS approach could recover signals that would have otherwise rendered the lidar data unusable. IEEE Spectrum, 3 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unusable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unusable was in 1825

Dictionary Entries Near unusable

Cite this Entry

“Unusable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unusable. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

More from Merriam-Webster on unusable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!