unusable

adjective

un·​us·​able ˌən-ˈyü-zə-bəl How to pronounce unusable (audio)
: not capable of being used or fit for use : not usable
unusable documentary footage
The lavatory, totally unusable, was full of snow which had blasted in through the keyhole.Katharine Sim
unusably adverb

Examples of unusable in a Sentence

a completely unusable gadget that's just taking up space in the drawer
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In July the company conducted an internal investigation and uncovered changes made to its menu creator system that rendered all of the menus unusable, the complaint said. John Towfighi, CNN, 30 Oct. 2024 With weather conditions like this, public spaces and parks without enough shade are essentially unusable for several months of the year, especially summer, when families with young children and the elderly might need to get out of the house the most. Yessenia Funes, Curbed, 14 Aug. 2024 Without knowing what’s accepted, residents sometimes throw materials into their curbside bins that can make the rest unusable. Kate Robins, Charlotte Observer, 12 July 2024 Many might write off the space, saying lower, angled ceilings make the room unusable, but not Welch. Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for unusable 

Word History

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unusable was in 1825

Dictionary Entries Near unusable

Cite this Entry

“Unusable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unusable. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on unusable

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!