as in incapability
the lack of sufficient ability, power, or means
the apparent inability of young children to sit still
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Examples of inability in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Though well intentioned, Damian is pompous, consoling Martha while lecturing her on how humankind’s inability to curb its carbon footprint has made global warming unstoppable — and ecological catastrophe unavoidable.
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Brent Lang, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
His descriptions of Thatcher, especially her inability to read social cues, mingle with his admiration for her leadership and ideological zeal.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024
Her inability to grasp reality engulfs the final weeks of tour rehearsals in chaos, forcing her to probe the depths of her mind on a journey toward realizing that running from our formative memories is an exercise in futility.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2024
In some people, this can worsen symptoms of conditions like depression, of which anhedonia—a general inability to find joy or pleasure in life—is already a symptom.
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inability 
Brent Lang, Variety, 23 Oct. 2024
His descriptions of Thatcher, especially her inability to read social cues, mingle with his admiration for her leadership and ideological zeal.
—Franklin Foer, The Atlantic, 23 Oct. 2024
Her inability to grasp reality engulfs the final weeks of tour rehearsals in chaos, forcing her to probe the depths of her mind on a journey toward realizing that running from our formative memories is an exercise in futility.
—Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 16 Oct. 2024
In some people, this can worsen symptoms of conditions like depression, of which anhedonia—a general inability to find joy or pleasure in life—is already a symptom.
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 17 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inability
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inability.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Thesaurus Entries Near inability
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“Inability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inability. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.
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