unable en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- /ʌnˈeɪbl̩/
Etymology
From Middle English unable, unabel, unhable, unhabil, equivalent to un- + able.
Meanings
-
Not able; lacking a certain ability.
Fulham switched off as Giggs took a quick corner to Valencia. He played it back to Giggs, whose cross was headed in by Nani with the lurking Rooney unable to add a touch.
2011 December 21, Tom Rostance, “Fulham 0-5 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. […] But the scandals kept coming, […]. A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul.
2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:The train operating company owning group warned in early December that it was unable to publish its results for the year to July 3 2021, following an investigation into the running of Southeastern, which was stripped of its franchise in October [...].
2022 January 12, “Network News: Trading of Go-Ahead Group shares halted”, in RAIL, number 948, page 7:Are you unable to mind your own business or something?
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| unabler | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| unablest | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more unable | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most unable | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
unably · unable to can · unableness · be unable to believe one's eyes
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (35)
cs neschopný (not able) · zh 不能夠 (not able) · eo nekapabla (not able) · ka უძლური (not able) · mi tē taea (not able) · hi असमर्थ (not able) · ka შეუძლებელი (not able) · sv oförmögen (not able) · ru неспосо́бный (not able) · el ανίκανος (not able) · it incapace (not able) · pt incapaz (not able) · nl niet in staat (not able) · bg неспосо́бен (not able) · ar عَاجِز (not able) · wyi mon-tooleen-narr (not able) · es incapaz (not able) · fr incapable (not able) · ca incapaç (not able) · zh 不会 (not able) · ro incapabil (not able) · ro neputincios (not able) · zh 不能 (not able) · fi kykenemätön (not able) · de außerstanden (not able) · ro incompetent (not able) · hu képtelen (not able) · eo senpova (not able) · es impotente (not able) · nl onbekwaam (not able) · zh 不能够 (not able) · de unfähig (not able) · fi kyvytön (not able) · zh 不可以 (not able) · io nekapabla (not able)