INOPERABLE Synonyms: 86 Similar and Opposite Words

inoperable

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-bəl

Definition of inoperable

as in malfunctioning

not being in working order we have several inoperable cars on the property

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of inoperable Once authorities seized them, the Justice Department says QScan and QTRouter became inoperable. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The Kia Sportage was stuck on the lip of one end of the bridge, causing the span to become inoperable, the sheriff’s office said. — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026 Worse yet, doctors told her that the tumor was inoperable and had spread to multiple parts of her brain. — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 22 Aug. 2026 Last December, Lawler and her colleagues published a new metric called the CRASH Clock, which estimates what would happen in orbit if every single satellite suddenly became inoperable. — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inoperable

Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperable

Adjective

Homeowners reported a swift meeting at which officers discussed a reorganization of their specific duties and the hiring of an elevator expert to fix the chronically malfunctioning, overloaded elevators.

— Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026
Watching the first episode of Ultimate Girl’s Trip is like riding in a malfunctioning time machine.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of malfunctioning

Adjective

The down low on domoic acid In recent weeks, dozens of sea lions suffering from domoic acid poisoning have turned up on beaches from Monterey County to Sonoma County — and some fear this is only the beginning.

— Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Stock futures are higher before the bell following a down day on Wall Street.

— Alex Harring, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of down

Adjective

Everyday routines depend on maps, banking, tickets, transit, rideshare and messaging, and completely disconnecting remains impractical for most people.

— Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Sep. 2026
The denominator includes greater speed, capacity and outputs that were once impractical.

— Hemant Kapadia, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of impractical

Adjective

If the main engines were to become inoperative, six smaller orbit-control thrusters can still be activated on the lunar surface, providing an alternative pathway for a rapid ascent.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026
And there’s been plenty of media focus since then — including on inoperative toilets.

— Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026

Definition of inoperative

Adjective

Founded in 2022, The Alloy Market makes money by either refining unusable materials and taking a cut, or by listing usable items on their online resale marketplace.

— Liz Knueven, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
That helped the operation keep switching infrastructure as domains became unusable.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of unusable

Adjective

Subsense showed off a nonfunctional mock-up of a cap that looked like a cross between a baseball cap and a bike helmet.

— Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026
Days said the focus of the project is not changing the machine's appearance or replacing a piece of Pittsburgh history, but repairing the internal components that have long been nonfunctional.

— Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of nonfunctional

Adjective

Like other foods, bird seed is perishable and will spoil if it’s kept in unsuitable conditions.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 27 Sep. 2026
Medical supplies and fuel are running short after key supply routes between Mokha and Taiz were largely cut off, forcing convoys onto mountainous roads unsuitable for large trucks.

— Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of unsuitable

Browse Nearby Words

in one's cups

inoperable

inoperative

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Inoperable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperable. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of inoperable

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tittle

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes