Dictionary

inability en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti/

Etymology

From earlier inhability (“disqualification for office”), equivalent to in- + ability. Compare Middle French inhabilité, Medieval Latin inhabilitās.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Lack of the ability to do something; incapability.
   • The Premier League leaders did what many people thought was beyond them in their last European excursion, at the home of Borussia Dortmund, and they made light work of overcoming Marseille on a night when the one-sidedness was not reflected by their inability to add to Jack Wilshere's two goals. 2013 November 26, Daniel Taylor, “Jack Wilshere scores twice to ease Arsenal to victory over Marseille”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 14 Oct 2019:
   • […] tho' theſe ſeem'd to be very unfit Inſtruments for compaſſing of that great Deſign for which they were then employ'd, becauſe of their Inability and Uncapacity in performing the Work ſo very great and important; […] 1720, John Shaw, “Of Religion”, in The Fundamental Doctrines of the Church of England, […], volume I, London: […] George Strahan, […] William Mears, […], page 36:
2. (countable, uncountable) Lack of the option to do something; powerlessness.

Forms

Synonyms

unability

Translations (39)

de Unvermögen (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · de Unfähigkeit (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · nl onvermogen (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · ru неспосо́бность (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · el αδυναμία (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · gv neufondid (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · pl niemożność (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · sv oförmåga (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · fi kyvyttömyys (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · ro incapacitate (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · uk неспромо́жність (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · got 𐌿𐌽𐌼𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍃 (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · ja 無能 (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · mk неможност (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · ro neputință (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · sa अक्षमा (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · hi असमर्थता (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · pl niezdolność (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · gv neuablid (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · gv neuchummaght (lack of the option to do something; powerlessness) · pl nieumiejętność (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · fr incapacité (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · ro incapabilitate (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · fi kykenemättömyys (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · uk невмі́ння (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · ru невозмо́жность (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · pt incapacidade (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · es incapacidad (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · nl impotentie (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · uk незда́тність (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · hi असमर्थता (lack of the option to do something; powerlessness) · hi अक्षमता (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · ckb ناتوانین (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · eo senpoveco (lack of the option to do something; powerlessness) · ru неуме́ние (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · eo nekapableco (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · pt inabilidade (lack of the ability to do something; incapability) · uk неможли́вість (lack of the option to do something; powerlessness) · bg неспособност (lack of the ability to do something; incapability)