1
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order
we have several inoperable cars on the property
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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
Exterior door handles can also become inoperable in the event of power loss.
—
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2025
The complaints detail owners' experiences with a 12 V power failure and inoperable doors, trapping children or dogs in cars on hot days.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 17 Sep. 2025
In honor of Bourbon Heritage Month, our Maggie Menderski went on a search to track down the oldest operating and inoperable stills in Kentucky.
—Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2025
For instance, in May 2025, engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which manages the missions, successfully revived a set of thrusters aboard Voyager 1 that had been considered inoperable since 2004.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inoperable
Bloomberg, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2025
The complaints detail owners' experiences with a 12 V power failure and inoperable doors, trapping children or dogs in cars on hot days.
—Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 17 Sep. 2025
In honor of Bourbon Heritage Month, our Maggie Menderski went on a search to track down the oldest operating and inoperable stills in Kentucky.
—Ray Padilla, Louisville Courier Journal, 11 Sep. 2025
For instance, in May 2025, engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which manages the missions, successfully revived a set of thrusters aboard Voyager 1 that had been considered inoperable since 2004.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inoperable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperable
Adjective
-
Another set piece involving a malfunctioning chair lift is excruciatingly tense.—
Emily Palmer Heller,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Miles are useless for trying to define how enormous our galaxy is.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
12 Oct. 2025
-
Advertisement One Battle After Another, Eddington, and The Mastermind all comedically register white men as useless political collaborators.—
Robert Daniels,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Unfortunately, it was later revealed that Ibushi had suffered a broken femur, something that could take a significant amount of time to return from.—
Jeremy Hanna,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
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Coristine recently recounted the incident that left him with a broken nose and a concussion.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But as someone who lives in an NYC apartment and doesn’t have the worries of car ownership or a pet to clean up after, the machine felt bulky and impractical for my lifestyle.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
7 Oct. 2025
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The girls are wearing heeled white dance shoes that are defiantly impractical for the city streets, in striking contrast to the robust sneakers that everyone else has on.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The best puffer jackets with trim Be it by way of fluffy trim on a down hoodie or an extra-soft lining, fur and shearling elements make our favorite outerwear extra-toasty.—
Alison Syrett Cleary,
Glamour,
14 Oct. 2025
-
In 2006, Clendenen — an avid runner and reader in her down time — joined the San Diego Police Department with an interest in investigations.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The upper one-third of the lake could be unusable for recreation by the end of this century.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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Parchment paper may become unusable after one or two uses at high temperatures.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
13 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Of those who reported incidents, none saw a low voltage battery warning before the exterior door handles became inoperative.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
17 Sep. 2025
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But the speed came from all three levels of Green Bay’s defense, rendering Washington’s offense almost inoperative.—
Nicki Jhabvala,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Financial promotion rules prevent inappropriate marketing to unsuitable investors.—
Boaz Sobrado,
Forbes.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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According to a study published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment in 2024, up to 70% of current wine-producing regions could become unsuitable for growing grapes if global temperatures rise by more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels.—
Miguel A. Torres,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inoperable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperable. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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