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Definitions

inability

[in-uh-bil-i-tee] / ˌɪn əˈbɪl ɪ ti /
NOUN
lack of ability
Synonyms
STRONGEST
failure impotence incompetence inefficiency ineptitude lack shortcoming weakness
STRONG
disqualification frailty inadequacy inaptitude incapability incapacity ineffectiveness ineffectualness inefficacy ineptness insufficiency inutility necessity powerlessness unfitness
WEAK
incapacitation
Antonyms
STRONGEST
strong point success
STRONG
ability sufficiency
WEAK
capacity competence skill talent

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The inability of successive activists to budge Bennett stems from the management-friendly laws of Maryland, where most REITs are domiciled.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

Obviously, his inability to retain 7-foot-3 center Aday Mara was frustrating and ultimately devastating.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

He’s long resented her inability to contain the frenzy surrounding the Jeffrey Epstein files.

From Slate • Apr. 4, 2026

Rousseau’s inability to speak French has come up in the past.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

But if wild populations with variations in genotype keep interbreeding, Dobzhansky knew, a new species would never be formed: a species, after all, is fundamentally defined by its inability to interbreed with another.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Vocabulary lists containing inability

"Ellen West" by Frank Bidart

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