inapplicable
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of inapplicable
First recorded in 1650–60; in- 3 + applicable
Explanation
If something's inapplicable, it's irrelevant or unsuited. Laws that affect adults over the age of 18 are often inapplicable to children and young teenagers. Even if something is true in one situation, it might not work or fit in another situation — it's inapplicable. A list of plants that grow easily in your aunt's garden in Hawaii will probably be inapplicable to your garden in New Hampshire. This adjective combines the "not" prefix in- and applicable, from the Latin applicare, "connect" or "join."
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.
“False endorsement and misappropriation, FanDuel could insist, are inapplicable to a personalized video setting where the video’s talent voluntarily assents in exchange for compensation,” McCann wrote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
He correctly recognized that he was bound by precedent to reject Trump's request that he hold Sullivan inapplicable in his case.
From Salon ● Jul. 31, 2023
“As Richard Prince makes individual paintings and does not license his works, the holding in Warhol is clearly inapplicable to his New Portraits litigation,” he said.
From New York Times ● May 22, 2023
Stephen Stokes, an attorney for the Idaho Military Division, said the statute is “unnecessary” and inapplicable to the Idaho Military Division.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 25, 2022
For the message that it was occasionally necessary to send, there were printed postcards with long lists of phrases, and you struck out the ones that were inapplicable.
From "1984" by George Orwell
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.
