1
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order
we have several inoperable cars on the property
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2
as in useless
not capable of being put to use or account
a delightfully creative but inoperable plan for building a theme park in the area
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Recent Examples of inoperable
For years after the hospital closed, town residents reported eerie lights and noises emanating from the inoperable elevator.
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Roger Naylor and Scott Craven, The Arizona Republic, 18 Oct. 2024
The comprehensive inspection completed last week detailed more than 23 pages of broken doors, inoperable water heaters, pest infestations and other issues across the property, according to a copy of the report obtained by The Post.
—Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2024
Those issues included inoperable radios -- in one instance, the head of the Pittsburgh Field Office gave his radio to the lead advance agent on the ground because his radio wasn’t working.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 25 Sep. 2024
Wind and rain were still whipping hard, and now cellphone service had ceased, making their map apps inoperable.
—Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inoperable 
Roger Naylor and Scott Craven, The Arizona Republic, 18 Oct. 2024
The comprehensive inspection completed last week detailed more than 23 pages of broken doors, inoperable water heaters, pest infestations and other issues across the property, according to a copy of the report obtained by The Post.
—Seth Klamann, The Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2024
Those issues included inoperable radios -- in one instance, the head of the Pittsburgh Field Office gave his radio to the lead advance agent on the ground because his radio wasn’t working.
—Luke Barr, ABC News, 25 Sep. 2024
Wind and rain were still whipping hard, and now cellphone service had ceased, making their map apps inoperable.
—Chris Kenning, USA TODAY, 30 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inoperable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperable
Adjective
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This is a fashion collab designed for women’s bodies to be looked at, but the functionality is useless.Jamie Aranoff, Outside Online, 12 Dec. 2024
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It was built on NBA men who subsidized that useless league for decades.Asher Notheis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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But the supply chains were so broken because of the pandemic.CBS News, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2024
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All these and more can be seen below in a map of the 57 shots the 23-year-old former Arsenal academy youngster faced in the league before that untimely broken wrist against Mansfield Town on November 9.Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 22 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Pavia was granted a preliminary injunction, which is issued by a court in circumstances when a full trial on the merits is impractical.Joe Sabin, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
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Industry-Wide Energy Problem and a Unique Solution Relying on large battery storage continues to be a challenge facing sustainable energy sources, which limits scalability and is impractical in smaller areas.Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Perhaps most notably, both sides deploy decoy vehicles—either inoperative derelicts or inflatable fakes—to draw enemy fire away from real vehicles.David Axe, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
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In wartime, however, the calculus changes, because most of the costs are inoperative.William C. Wohlforth, Foreign Affairs, 22 June 2021
Adjective
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Over time, TikTok would become slow, glitchy and eventually unusable.Bobby Allyn, NPR, 6 Dec. 2024
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The casing of the laptop was crushed during the accident, rendering the device completely unusable.Barry Collins, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Heating vents in the hallways and common rooms appeared nonfunctional.Genevieve Redsten, Journal Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2024
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Photo: Max Burkhalter The Brooklyn home of designer Ellen Van Dusen shows that even a nonfunctional fireplace can be on fire, figuratively speaking.Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The city constructed the dormitories at Floyd Bennett Field despite protests and criticism that the location was unsuitable and isolated.Luis Ferré-Sadurní, New York Times, 23 Dec. 2024
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Unlike artificial trees, real trees are biodegradable and often grown on land unsuitable for other crops.Emma Marsden, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Drivers say their contract issues center on pay as well as safety issues, including nonfunctioning heaters, loudspeakers and windshield wipers.Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Feb. 2023
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In 2020, the state of Virginia passed some bills limiting pretextual traffic stops—for example, when police spot nonfunctioning brake or tail lights or hear an overly loud exhaust system.Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 30 Jan. 2023
Thesaurus Entries Near inoperable
Cite this Entry
“Inoperable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperable. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
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