as in unfit
lacking qualities (as knowledge, skill, or ability) required to do a job
a celebrated author of serious plays, he turned out to be a particularly unable writer of comedies
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Recent Examples of unable
Wilson took umbrage with Moise framing her as unable to run her district — and balked at the idea that a congressional member should resign from their role if they’re considered too ill or too old.
—
Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
The city was unable to provide details on what types of activities were most commonly reported.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
Tribalism renders too many partisans unable to think ahead more than one election.
—Washington Post Editorial Board, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026
Petersen says all those concerns remain, while also claiming that Legends has even been unable to show his union the contract between itself and FIFA’s hospitality provider, OnLocation.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unable
Miami Herald, 29 May 2026
The city was unable to provide details on what types of activities were most commonly reported.
—Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2026
Tribalism renders too many partisans unable to think ahead more than one election.
—Washington Post Editorial Board, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026
Petersen says all those concerns remain, while also claiming that Legends has even been unable to show his union the contract between itself and FIFA’s hospitality provider, OnLocation.
—Adam Crafton, New York Times, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unable
Adjective
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If venue personnel deem any person to be a threat, or otherwise unfit, in their sole discretion, he or she will not be permitted access and shall forfeit the prize.—
AJC.com,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
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And so Maine voters still have a chance to send a message to the party brass continuing to coalesce around candidates who are not merely imperfect but entitled or unfit.—
Shannon A. Mullen,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Mix Materials The beauty in the unfitted kitchen aesthetic is found in its collected look.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
6 May 2025
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The venerable American clan at the center of the narrator’s reminiscences are wholly unfitted to the modern world and no longer endowed with the fortune that one of them brought home long ago on clipper ships.—
Daniel Akst,
WSJ,
2 Sep. 2022
Adjective
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But the reason is not as simple as an incompetent training staff.—
Levi Weaver,
New York Times,
4 June 2026
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There should be no place in our politics for incompetent, opportunistic operatives who violate privacy, betray trust, and prioritize vengeance over decency.—
Jared Kofsky,
ABC News,
1 June 2026
Adjective
-
Hollywood on a bad day is paralyzed, absolutely paralyzed, and incapable of making new decisions.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
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After breaking his leg late in the 2017 season, Sanó required surgery and was physically incapable.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unable. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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