inability

American

[in-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌɪn əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

lack of ability; lack of power, capacity, or means.

his inability to make decisions.

Synonyms:

incompetence, impotence, incapacity, incapability

inability British

/ ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

lack of ability or means; incapacity

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See disability.

Etymology

Origin of inability

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English inabilite, from Medieval Latin inhabilitās; equivalent to in- ³ + ability

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.

And while healthy advertising spending boosted its most recent earnings, there are concerns about its apparent inability to launch a cutting-edge AI to take on ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude.

From Barron's

Sometimes, it’s the lack of access that holds filmmakers back; others, it’s the inability to find the point where history, couture and artistry intersect.

From Salon

In a statement on Thursday, Michael Rousseau said he was deeply saddened that his inability to speak French "diverted attention" from the pilots' grieving families and Air Canada staff.

From BBC

The widening spread between WTI and Brent may be temporary, reflecting stress in financial markets and inability of financial intermediaries and commodities trading firms to arbitrage it away.

From MarketWatch

OTTAWA—Air Canada Chief Executive Michael Rousseau issued an apology Thursday about his inability to speak French after facing sharp criticism from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023