inviable

American  

[in-vahy-uh-buhl] / ɪnˈvaɪ ə bəl /

adjective

Biology.

1. (of an organism) incapable of sustaining its own life.

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inviable British  

/ ɪnˈvaɪəbəl /

adjective

1. not viable, esp financially; not able to survive

   an inviable company

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• inviability
  noun
• inviably
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of inviable

First recorded in 1915–20; in- ³ + viable

Explanation

If something is inviable, it can't survive or function as it should. An inviable animal, plant, or cell will not live long enough to mature or reproduce, and an inviable business will soon fail because it can't pay its bills. Inviable is the opposite of viable, which may be a more familiar word. Many things can be inviable. An inviable seed will not grow if it is planted, and a bird's egg that is inviable will not hatch. Things that people create or plan can also be inviable. A school's sports program will be inviable if nobody wants to participate, or if there's no money for equipment, or if it's impossible for teams to practice because of scheduling conflicts.

Example Sentences

"Ski resorts at lower elevations and latitudes have already been contending with year-on-year snow loss. This will just accelerate, making the business model inviable."

From Science Daily • Jan. 10, 2024

"Peace is with everyone, any group that is excluded from the construction of peace will make a stable, lasting and definitive peace in Colombia inviable," he said.

From Reuters • Feb. 21, 2023

The zygote would be viable, but the resulting embryo would be genetically inviable.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Forty-two eggs in the nest were found to be "inviable or destroyed" while 22 were found to be "damaged but potentially viable," and were transferred to incubators.

From Fox News • Mar. 17, 2022

Kevin Young: Well it’s sort of myth and connection but also that these things aren’t inviable.

From The New Yorker • Feb. 20, 2019