Meaning & use
unable
Not having the necessary skill, strength, resources, or opportunity to do something.
See it in a sentence
He was unable to finish the race after twisting his ankle.
The company was unable to meet the delivery deadline this month.
A note on using this word
Unable is always followed by an infinitive, as in 'unable to attend', not a gerund.
Words with a similar meaning
incapablepowerless
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
ablecapable
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “unable”, then compare your use with the examples above.
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