inoperable

adjective

in·​op·​er·​a·​ble (ˌ)in-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-bəl 

1

: not treatable or remediable by surgery

an inoperable brain tumor

2

: not functioning : inoperative

Synonyms

• down
• inoperative
• kaput
• kaputt
• malfunctioning
• nonfunctional
• nonfunctioning
• nonoperating

Examples of inoperable in a Sentence

a patient with inoperable cancer

The device makes the car inoperable when a key is not used to start it.

Recent Examples on the Web

The incident left the train inoperable, though none of the 47 passengers on board were injured, KIRO reported. —Mary Gilbert, CNN, 20 Nov. 2024

Israel’s bombardment of the region has since rendered two thirds of its hospitals inoperable and driven almost two million Palestinians from their homes. —Saima S. Iqbal, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2024

In recent years, city code and building inspectors have found faulty fire-safety systems and elevators inoperable for months at a time, effectively trapping many elderly and disabled residents inside. —Liam Dillon, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism Delayed puberty Metastatic mammary cancer (breast cancer): Women with advancing inoperable metastatic (skeletal) mammary cancer who are one to five years postmenopause. —Femi Aremu, Verywell Health, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably from French inopérable

First Known Use

1886, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

inoperable

adjective

in·​op·​er·​a·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈäp-(ə-)rə-bəl 

1

: not treatable by surgery

an inoperable cancer

2

: not in working order : inoperative

Medical Definition

inoperable

adjective

in·​op·​er·​a·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈäp-(ə-)rə-bəl 

: not treatable or remediable by or suitable for surgery

an advanced and inoperable cancer

a developing cataract still inoperable

inoperability

(ˌ)in-ˌäp-(ə-)rə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

plural inoperabilities