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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order
looking for an expert to fix the inoperative grandfather clock
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of inoperative
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
While the thrust levers were the final straw, other contributing factors included the lack of regulations prohibiting landings at Congonhas Airport with an inoperative thrust reverser, especially under heavy rain conditions.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Additionally, there was no regulation preventing landings at Congonhas with an inoperative thrust reverser—even on rainy days.
CENIPA, as a preventive agency, did not name those responsible.
—Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 23 Apr. 2025
Several election ballot scanners are currently inoperative at multiple polling locations in Cambria County in Pennsylvania.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for inoperative
Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 June 2025
While the thrust levers were the final straw, other contributing factors included the lack of regulations prohibiting landings at Congonhas Airport with an inoperative thrust reverser, especially under heavy rain conditions.
—Jordana Comiter, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Additionally, there was no regulation preventing landings at Congonhas with an inoperative thrust reverser—even on rainy days.
CENIPA, as a preventive agency, did not name those responsible.
—Isadora Wandermurem, Time, 23 Apr. 2025
Several election ballot scanners are currently inoperative at multiple polling locations in Cambria County in Pennsylvania.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for inoperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperative
Adjective
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To determine whether a branch is dead or just dormant, scrape some of the bark away.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
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Once the bulb has gone dormant and all the foliage has died down, carefully dig the bulb or tuber out of the ground.—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Another set piece involving a malfunctioning chair lift is excruciatingly tense.—
Emily Palmer Heller,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The filmmakers are demanding Nepal restart the entire process with a transparent, 30-day application window and independent oversight – essentially asking the Academy to declare the current selection invalid.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
27 Sep. 2025
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However, the registrar of voters office said in March that the group fell 1,027 short of the number required because of signatures determined to be invalid or in need of information such as a date or an address.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The first signs that 2025 wouldn’t live up to Ferrari’s off-season hopes emerged in testing, when McLaren teased its advantage.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Perhaps not, and that was attributable to some of his off-field pursuits, as sports journalist Devin Gordon explains in one episode.—
Jackson Roberts,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Since Buzzard's Roost opened in 2023, the staff has experienced unexplained broken glasses, books falling off the shelf and many elevator and electronic glitches.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
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The Wednesday night attack at the apartment in the 2800 block of Corabel Lane began as an argument between the husband and wife over a broken personal computer tablet, officials said.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Ahead of this school year, MPS Superintendent Brenda Cassellius moved some central office staff to classroom teaching positions to fill vacant roles.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
6 Oct. 2025
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After moving to the area with his family in 2022, proprietor Andrew Pearson saw an opportunity to bring a fine dining experience to a vacant restaurant space on Main Street.—
Brennan Long,
Southern Living,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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For example, Hurricane Helene, which affected much of Western North Carolina almost exactly one year ago, resulted in more than 450 mail routes being inoperable due to the storm, according to a news release from USPS.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Sep. 2025
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Under local law, even inoperable or replica weapons are considered potentially operable if they can be modified to fire, placing them under the same strict legal framework.—
Hollie Silverman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Between the atoms was void, and all things that existed were atoms.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
30 Sep. 2025
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Into this relative void steps Paul Thomas Anderson, whose films have been nominated for 28 Academy Awards over the course of his career.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inoperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperative. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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