English Meaning & Definitions
The state of being unable to do something; lack of ability, power, or means to accomplish a task.
- “His inability to speak French made the business negotiations very difficult.”
- “The company's failure was attributed to an inability to adapt to modern technology.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “inability”.
Derived from Middle English, formed from the negative prefix 'in-' (meaning 'not') combined with 'ability', which comes from Old French 'abilité' and ultimately from the Latin 'habilitas' (aptitude, ability), derived from 'habilis' (handy, apt).
Think of it as the exact opposite of ability: IN- (not) + ABILITY = the state of not being able to do something.
Frequently Asked Questions About “inability”
1. What is the meaning of “inability” in English?
In English, inability (noun) is defined as: “The state of being unable to do something; lack of ability, power, or means to accomplish a task.”.
2. How do you use “inability” in a sentence?
“His inability to speak French made the business negotiations very difficult.”
3. What are English synonyms of “inability”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “inability”?
Derived from Middle English, formed from the negative prefix 'in-' (meaning 'not') combined with 'ability', which comes from Old French 'abilité' and ultimately from the Latin 'habilitas' (aptitude, ability), derived from 'habilis' (handy, apt).
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →A measurement of time indicating an instantaneous occurrence or a state where no time has elapsed.
The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.