unable

adjective

un·​able ˌən-ˈā-bəl 

: not able : incapable: such as

a

: unqualified, incompetent

b

: impotent, helpless

Synonyms of unable

• unfit
• unfitted
• incompetent
• incapable

Examples of unable in a Sentence

I was unable to afford the trip.

He was unable to play tennis after the injury.

Recent Examples on the Web

But, the Financial Timesreported that China would limit access to H200 chips and that buyers would likely need to go through an approval process that would require them to explain why domestic providers are unable to meet their needs. —John Kell, Fortune, 10 Dec. 2025

The Charlotte Observer was unable to locate a comparable contract after reviewing City Council business meeting agendas dating back to September 2021. —Nick Sullivan, Charlotte Observer, 10 Dec. 2025

Fox News Digital was unable to immediately locate an attorney representing Perales. —Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025

And if farmers are unable to sell all their soybeans, the crop will remain stored for the next year, creating an oversupply that could drag prices down even further. —N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA Today, 10 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unable

• able
• chaebol
• fable
• label
• sable
• stabile
• stable
• table
• allocable
• educable
• integrable
• purchasable

Kids Definition

unable

adjective

un·​able ˌən-ˈā-bəl 

ˈən-

: not able : incapable