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Inability: meaning, definitions and examples

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inability

 

[ ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

noun

Lack of ability to do something; incapacity

Synonyms

disability, incapability, incompetence

Examples of usage

  • The patient's inability to walk was due to a severe injury.
  • His inability to concentrate was affecting his work performance.
  • She felt frustrated by her inability to express herself clearly.
Context #2 | Noun

noun

Lack of the power to perform physically demanding tasks

Synonyms

incapacity, infirmity, weakness

Examples of usage

  • The athlete's inability to compete was disappointing for his fans.
  • Her inability to lift heavy objects limited her job options.

Translations

Translations of the word "inability" in other languages:

🇵🇹 incapacidade

🇮🇳 अक्षमता

🇩🇪 Unfähigkeit

🇮🇩 ketidakmampuan

🇺🇦 нездатність

🇵🇱 niezdolność

🇯🇵 無能

🇫🇷 incapacité

🇪🇸 incapacidad

🇹🇷 yetersizlik

🇰🇷 무능력

🇸🇦 عجز

🇨🇿 neschopnost

🇸🇰 neschopnosť

🇨🇳 无能力

🇸🇮 nezmožnost

🇮🇸 vanhæfni

🇰🇿 қабілетсіздік

🇬🇪 უუნარობა

🇦🇿 qabiliyyətsizlik

🇲🇽 incapacidad

Etymology

The word 'inability' originated from the Latin word 'inabilitas', which means 'lack of ability'. It first appeared in English in the early 17th century. The prefix 'in-' signifies 'not', while 'ability' comes from the Latin 'abilitas', meaning 'ability'. Over time, 'inability' has become a commonly used term to describe the lack or incapacity to perform certain tasks.

See also: ability, able, disable, enable, unable.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #4,740, this word represents useful upper-intermediate vocabulary. Understanding and using it will help you express more complex ideas effectively.