SYNONYMS | EXAMPLES | WORD ORIGIN | IDIOMS adjective not capable.
not having the necessary ability, qualification, or strength to perform some specified act or function: As an administrator, he is simply incapable.
without ordinary capability; incompetent.
noun a thoroughly incompetent person, especially one of defective mentality.
Idioms incapable of , not having the ability, qualification, or strength for (a specified act or function). not open to; not susceptible to or admitting: These materials are incapable of exact measurement. legally unqualified for. Show More
Origin of incapable From the
Late Latin word
incapābilis, dating back to
1585–95. See
in-3 ,
capable Related forms in·ca·pa·bil·i·ty , in·ca·pa·ble·ness , noun in·ca·pa·bly , adverb Synonyms for incapable 1 . Incapable, incompetent, inefficient, unable are applied to a person or thing that is lacking in ability, preparation, or power for whatever is to be done. Incapable usually means inherently lacking in ability or power: incapable of appreciating music; a bridge incapable of carrying heavy loads. Incompetent, generally used only of persons, means unfit or unqualified for a particular task: incompetent as an administrator. Inefficient means wasteful in the use of effort or power: an inefficient manager; inefficient methods. Unable usually refers to a temporary condition of inability to do some specific thing: unable to relax, to go to a concert. 2 . impotent, unqualified.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for incapable unfit ,
ineffective ,
inadequate ,
naive ,
weak ,
impotent ,
incompetent ,
unable ,
unqualified ,
unsuited ,
ineligible ,
powerless ,
butterfingers ,
feeble ,
inept ,
inexperienced ,
inexpert ,
insufficient ,
losing ,
poor Examples from the Web for incapable Contemporary Examples of incapable She is incapable of responding to kindness and enquiry, even very gentle flirting on the part of a co-worker.
Unlike influenza, it is incapable of traveling through tiny microscopic particles.
A “simple bout of flu” is incapable of mutating into an Ebola infection.
Nancy, on the other hand, was incapable of communicating her wishes.
Used without a German army on the ground, as it had been in mainland Europe, the Luftwaffe was incapable of securing victory.
Historical Examples of incapable Without true grace mankind was weak, and incapable of success.
Keep the capable man down and you may level the incapable one up.
Hinde gaped at him, incapable of expressing himself with sufficient force.
He was incapable of speaking, and the driver, busy with his horses, said no more.
Rima, incapable of understanding such a thing, took it differently.
British Dictionary definitions for incapable adjective (when postpositive, often foll by of ) not capable (of); lacking the ability (to)
powerless or helpless, as through injury or intoxication
(postpositive foll by of ) not susceptible (to); not admitting (of) a problem incapable of solution
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Derived Forms incapability or incapableness , noun incapably , adverb 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
Word Origin and History for incapable adj. 1590s, from Middle French incapable and directly from Medieval Latin incapabilis , from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + capabilis (see capable ). Related: Incapably ; incapability .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
