inoperable

American  

[in-op-er-uh-buhl, -op-ruh-buhl] / ɪnˈɒp ər ə bəl, -ˈɒp rə bəl /

adjective

1. not operable or practicable.

2. Medicine/Medical. not admitting of a surgical operation because the pathological condition is not amenable to cure by surgery or because of undue risk.

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inoperable British  

/ -ˈɒprə-, ɪnˈɒpərəbəl /

adjective

1. incapable of being implemented or operated; unworkable

2. surgery not suitable for operation without risk, esp (of a malignant tumour) because metastasis has rendered surgery useless

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Other Word Forms

• inoperability noun
• inoperably adverb

Etymology

Origin of inoperable

First recorded in 1885–90; in- ³ + operable

Example Sentences

Their repair garage teems with an array of inoperable vehicles and twisted metal.

From Los Angeles Times

The city’s parking enforcement and transportation officers were removed from the field over the weekend after copper wire thieves damaged a key communications tower in Elysian Park, leaving several departments with inoperable radios.

From Los Angeles Times

For the first time in 35 years, The Daily Star could not publish its print edition on Friday and will be "inoperable for a while", consulting editor Kamal Ahmed told the BBC.

From BBC

Nearly 400 people with advanced, inoperable malignant melanoma took part in the study, which focused on this severe form of skin cancer.

From Science Daily

In the middle of harvest season, some agricultural machinery has been rendered inoperable without fuel, with the shortages having struck daily life outside the capital several weeks earlier.

From Barron's

Related Words

• impractical/impracticable
• infeasible
• unfeasible
• unworkable