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
Prosecutors said the rifle was rendered inoperable before Jalloh left the store, unbeknownst to Jalloh.
—
Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors said the rifle was rendered inoperable before Jalloh left the store, unbeknownst to Jalloh.
—Jonathan Mattise, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
The bag handle broke and is inoperable.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026
Finally, after Mason let fans know there was an electrical circuit issue and the video board would be inoperable for the remainder of the game, the crowd broke out in a collective cheer as the buzzer finally turned off and basketball could resume.
—Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inoperable
Arkansas Online, 13 Mar. 2026
Prosecutors said the rifle was rendered inoperable before Jalloh left the store, unbeknownst to Jalloh.
—Jonathan Mattise, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2026
The bag handle broke and is inoperable.
—Christopher Elliott, Mercury News, 9 Mar. 2026
Finally, after Mason let fans know there was an electrical circuit issue and the video board would be inoperable for the remainder of the game, the crowd broke out in a collective cheer as the buzzer finally turned off and basketball could resume.
—Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inoperable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperable
Adjective
-
Despite the accomplishments, Artemis II astronauts had to contend with a more mundane problem -- a malfunctioning space toilet.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Despite the accomplishments, Artemis II astronauts had to contend with a more mundane problem — a malfunctioning space toilet.—
Marcia Dunn,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Social services are borderline useless.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2026
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Still, old soil isn’t exactly useless.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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After losing Boye Mafe in free agency, Seattle replaces him with Parker, whose stock as a one-time top-15 prospect took a hit after a down statistical season in 2025.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
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When a car reaches an overpass, there’s some probability — call it x — that the car will take the down ramp instead of the overpass.—
Erica Klarreich,
Quanta Magazine,
22 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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And it’s set in a snowy wintertime, which would have been impractical and expensive in live action, but pays all kinds of benefits in terms of staging and mood.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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This design enables use across a range of environments—from outdoor gatherings to event spaces—where traditional wine cooling methods may be impractical or inconsistent.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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And there’s been plenty of media focus since then — including on inoperative toilets.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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The antiskid system was inoperative, and all four main tires on the landing gear blew.—
Jeff Suess,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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As modeled by the bureau, if critically dry years continue, Powell and Mead will more often fall so low that their hydropower plants will become unusable, impacting power availability for more than 1 million people.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
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But the rocket's second stage put the payload, a direct-to-cellphone communications satellite, in an unusable orbit, officials said.—
William Harwood,
CBS News,
19 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Three months later, the plant remained nonfunctional Thursday night, reducing the Cheboygan dam's ability to pass floodwater that had climbed within five inches of its crest.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 Apr. 2026
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However, under the aforementioned definitions, only mowed grass areas which are enclosed and inaccessible to residents appear to be nonfunctional turf.—
Kelly G. Richardson,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Unless the seeds were stored in a damp or otherwise unsuitable location, seed germination rates don’t decline all at once.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Apr. 2026
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Corn is an unsuitable companion plant for peppers due to its towering size.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inoperable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperable. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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