unable
Americanadjective
adjective
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lacking the necessary power, ability, or authority (to do something); not able
-
archaic incompetent
Synonym Usage
See incapable.
Etymology
Origin of unable
Explanation
If you're unable to do something, you just can't do it. This isn't necessarily a bad thing! You may be unable to tell a lie, no matter how much you want to blame your brother for breaking that window. When we're unable, we're incapable. If you're unable to speak French, but you speak German fluently, you might choose to spend the summer in Berlin rather than Quebec City. And when your neighbor is unable to walk her dog during the day, you could volunteer to walk it after school. Being unable is either "lacking ability," or "lacking power."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Unable to land a scholarship coming out of high school, Jones used his academic success to enroll at UCLA, where he played as a walk-on for a strong Bruin team coached by Sigi Schmid.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
Unable to ship petroleum and liquefied natural gas it had bought from the region, Vitol had to find replacements to send to customers.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026
Unable to depend on natural snowfall, about 80 percent of ski areas in the Southeast and Midwest, nearly 50 percent in the Northeast, and 10 percent in the West now rely on snowmaking.
From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026
Unable to run tours into North Korea, he has been offering trips through border areas so customers can catch glimpses into the secretive state from a distance.
From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026
Unable to attract attention, they walked down the street to Joe King’s Blue Ribbon Bar, which, Robert described as “jumping, jammed, and crowded.”
From "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
