inability
noun
in·abil·i·ty
ˌi-nə-ˈbi-lə-tē 
: 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
And yet, progress waits for no one—failing to adapt will lead to inefficiencies and an inability to meet evolving consumer demands, causing such banks to be left behind.
—
Roman Eloshvili, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
And there’s a blunt, pulp poetry to Manny’s conclusion (if not a particularly sensitive one), driven to despair by an inability to live in the dissonant but very real space between one’s religious moral compass and the realities of one’s life.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
Pascal, Severide, Herrmann and Kidd each detailed the many ways in which things went wrong, from the lack of traffic control ro an inability to access water quick enough to Cruz’s tank malfunctioning.
—Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 16 Apr. 2025
Trump was frustrated by his inability to make headway on nuclear issues during his first term.
—Rose Gottemoeller, Foreign Affairs, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inability
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.
Roman Eloshvili, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
And there’s a blunt, pulp poetry to Manny’s conclusion (if not a particularly sensitive one), driven to despair by an inability to live in the dissonant but very real space between one’s religious moral compass and the realities of one’s life.
—Andy Andersen, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
Pascal, Severide, Herrmann and Kidd each detailed the many ways in which things went wrong, from the lack of traffic control ro an inability to access water quick enough to Cruz’s tank malfunctioning.
—Vlada Gelman, TVLine, 16 Apr. 2025
Trump was frustrated by his inability to make headway on nuclear issues during his first term.
—Rose Gottemoeller, Foreign Affairs, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inability
Cite this Entry
“Inability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inability. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inability
noun
in·abil·i·ty
ˌin-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē
: lack of ability, power, or means
his inability to carry a tune
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share