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Synonyms

not able

Idioms  

  1. see under can't or under main phrase.

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.

I study her and her crisp no-nonsense outfit, not able to hide the curiosity that I know is written all over my face.

From Literature

AFP was not able to verify the toll or the site of the strike.

From Barron's

Phil Foden: A lot of effort but in a match lacking quality, he was not able to show his best.

From BBC

"We were not able and not willing, once again, to push the snooze button on this… it was a huge step for Germany, a huge step for the German population, definitely."

From BBC

However, the BBC was not able to confirm whether this was or was not the case.

From BBC

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.