Meaning & use
inoperable
Last updated
Not able to be treated by surgery, or not able to function or be operated.
See it in a sentence
The tumor was declared inoperable because of its location near major blood vessels.
The old machine sat inoperable in the corner of the workshop for years.
A note on using this word
Inoperable is used most often in medical contexts, describing an untreatable condition, but it also applies to broken machinery or systems.
Words with a similar meaning
unworkableinactive
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
operablefunctional
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