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.
Indeed, the root cause of the Iberian grid’s failure on a clear, windy day when 70% of Spain’s generation capacity was coming from renewables was the Spanish grid’s inability to gracefully handle such a surplus of renewables generation. Erik Kobayashi-Solomon, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025 Could his inability to execute be a product of pitching deep into most of his 11 starts to begin the season? Matt Gelb, New York Times, 6 June 2025 Brennan grilled Wolfe about his use of the Signal app to share encrypted messages with the defense and about his inability to produce communications under a court order because his texts were deleted. Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 6 June 2025 Despite his inability to perform or record as part of Huey Lewis and the News, the singer has remained active in the world of music. Tyler Jenke, Billboard, 5 June 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 12 Jun. 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

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