inability

noun

in·​abil·​i·​ty ˌi-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce inability (audio)
: lack of sufficient power, resources, or capacity
his inability to do math

Examples of inability in a Sentence

She has shown an inability to concentrate. the inability of the government to cope with the problem
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.
Conventional approaches, such as visual serving and force control, often struggle to achieve reliable performance due to their inability to simultaneously address positional and force-related uncertainties. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2025 The other thing, however, is her inability to play it cool for even a millisecond, after being busted by her owner. Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025 The victim told police that Ising had constantly harassed him at work for two years, sitting next to him during meals and joking about his inability to eat many foods because of his medical condition. Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2025 The same shares, but reversed, brought up the inability to engage with or understand those who hold different views. Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inability

Word History

Etymology

Middle English inhabilite disqualification, from Medieval Latin inhabilitas, from Latin in- + habilitas ability

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inability was in the 15th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inability. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

inability

noun
in·​abil·​i·​ty ˌin-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē How to pronounce inability (audio)
: lack of ability, power, or means
his inability to carry a tune

More from Merriam-Webster on inability

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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