inoperative

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-tiv How to pronounce inoperative (audio)
Definition of inoperativenext
1
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment be careful when putting your hands in even an inoperative garbage disposal

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2
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order looking for an expert to fix the inoperative grandfather clock

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3
as in invalid
having no legal or binding force the decision of the state's supreme court has rendered the law inoperative

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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 inoperative The agency has also probed 2021 Tesla Model Y vehicles after reports of exterior door handles becoming inoperative due to low battery voltage, leading to instances of children stuck inside. — Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026 The Info menu indicates the right rear sensor is inoperative. — John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs and Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 10 Jan. 2026 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 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 See All Example Sentences for inoperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperative
  1. dormant
  2. malfunctioning
  3. invalid
  4. off
  5. inoperable
  6. null
  7. vacant
  8. down
Adjective
  • It was shut down in 2008 and has sat dormant since, contaminated by hazardous chemicals in the ground that GM never cleaned up.
    — Greta Reich, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • While the Anaheim Ducks, located a stone’s throw from Angel Stadium, are in the midst of a massive refurbishment project, the area surrounding the baseball stadium is largely dormant.
    — Sam Blum, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of dormant
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
  • Challenges to Essayli’s position were brought in several criminal cases, with defense lawyers arguing that charges filed under his watch are invalid and should be dismissed.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Johnson County District Court Judge Stephanie Goodenow sided with the petitioners in a decision Thursday, saying the city failed to meet its burden to prove the petition was invalid.
    — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of invalid
Adjective
  • The combination of red and purple, in particular, has already won over celebrities, whoa re adding a pop of color to their off-duty looks.
    — Elise Fabre, Glamour, 5 Sep. 2026
  • There was no off-season film to support Callahan’s intuition, only four decades of coaching experience.
    — Daniel Flick, AJC.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of off
Adjective
  • An inoperable air conditioning system and sweaty employees led to the temporary closure of one Fort Worth pizza joint in the latest round of city health inspections, according to the report.
    — Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Two of the spacecraft's three reaction wheels were found to be inoperable, while its cold-gas thruster system also experienced some loss of functionality.
    — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of inoperable
Adjective
  • For one, null results—in this case, findings that are not unusual or revelatory—are still useful.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 4 June 2026
  • However, in the face of an increasing number of null results, most notably in studies published in late 2025, most physicists now agree that this sterile neutrino doesn’t exist.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of null
Adjective
  • In Austin, the vacancy rate for all affordable housing is nearly 16% with more than 4,500 vacant units, according to real estate data and analytics firm CoStar.
    — Claire Rush, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • In Austin, the vacancy rate for all affordable housing is nearly 16% with over 4,500 vacant units, according to real estate data and analytics firm CoStar.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of vacant
Adjective
  • Either squad could have plausibly won the 2021 Western Conference in a relatively down year.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
  • An investor sees the breadth divergence, watches the failed breakouts and notices the heavier down-volume, but then waits for a headline to confirm what the price data has already said.
    — Thomas Hartmann, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of down

Browse Nearby Words

inoperable
inoperative
inopportune
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Cite this Entry

“Inoperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperative. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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