1
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order
we have several inoperable cars on the property
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in useless
not capable of being put to use or account
a delightfully creative but inoperable plan for building a theme park in the area
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inoperable
Iran’s controversial uranium enrichment program, which uses sensitive centrifuges often installed deep underground in fortified bunkers, is likely to have been rendered inoperable or damaged, if not entirely destroyed.
—
Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 24 June 2025
The employee restroom hand sink lacked paper towels due to an inoperable dispenser.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
An inoperable mass in her brain—she’d survived six months.
—Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
But if an inspector visits an inoperable charger, Wilkinson said her agency would take action, notifying the operator and requiring fixes.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for inoperable
Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 24 June 2025
The employee restroom hand sink lacked paper towels due to an inoperable dispenser.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado, Sacbee.com, 6 June 2025
An inoperable mass in her brain—she’d survived six months.
—Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
But if an inspector visits an inoperable charger, Wilkinson said her agency would take action, notifying the operator and requiring fixes.
—Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for inoperable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperable
Adjective
-
Towns and hamlets have been largely pulverized along the front lines and for miles beyond; even American air defenses are mostly useless, because setting them up invites an immediate Russian attack.—
Dexter Filkins,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
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Apart from evidence, some of the most important testimonies in the case were also deemed useless during the investigation.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
12 July 2025
Adjective
-
Gustafsson was discovered lying nearby with a broken jaw, fractured cheekbones and a concussion.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
8 July 2025
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The truck was surprisingly harsh over broken asphalt, and there was a fair bit of road noise, too.—
Tim Stevens,
ArsTechnica,
8 July 2025
Adjective
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However, for many travelers who take only one or two flights a year, that's impractical advice.—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
11 July 2025
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Aside from being impractical, the new importation strategy would leave America’s drug supply vulnerable to dangerous counterfeit medicines from abroad.—
Sally C. Pipes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Swing down bed rails are great when getting in and out of bed or changing sheets.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
7 July 2025
-
With a down year in the rearview, Prescott and the Cowboys are looking forward to having a clean slate soon.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
On some days areas of the park were unusable for families.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 July 2025
-
Inspectors said the employee restroom was unusable.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
3 July 2025
Adjective
-
Also inoperative the morning of the crash were the runway alignment indicator lights, which had not worked for more than three years.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 June 2025
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Several election ballot scanners are currently inoperative at multiple polling locations in Cambria County in Pennsylvania.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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There’s also the risk that the new genes are unsuitable for Florida waters, and any interbreeding would weaken local stock.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
3 July 2025
-
Washing Windows Cleaning windows works best in good lighting to achieve a streak-free finish, making nighttime an unsuitable time for the task.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 June 2025
Adjective
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Each sensor is divided into 16 segments, and a few isolated segments are nonfunctional.—
Jonathan Corum,
New York Times,
19 June 2025
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More than 15 drainage basins in Miami-Dade alone are expected to be essentially nonfunctional with as little as two feet of sea rise.—
Alex Harris,
Sun Sentinel,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inoperable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperable. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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