inability

[ in-uh-bil-i-tee ]

noun

1. lack of ability; lack of power, capacity, or means:

   his inability to make decisions.

   Synonyms: incapability, incompetence, impotence, incapacity

inability

/ ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. lack of ability or means; incapacity

Word History and Origins

Origin of inability¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English inabilite, from Medieval Latin inhabilitās; equivalent to in- ³ + ability

Synonym Study

See disability.

Example Sentences

He said engineering projects could cope with "complex planning rules", but there was a "growing inability of planning processes to keep pace with applications".

From BBC

Bears head coach Matt Eberflus is under serious pressure after the worst of three straight losses and the team's inability to score points despite their array of talented playmakers.

From BBC

Captain Jamie George has resisted Jones' old diagnosis, that their inability to see out matches is a psychological glitch.

From BBC

Their inability to find the end game to back up promising performances and hard graft with results has become a worrying trend.

From BBC

“They failed to see his inability to step up his game,” said James Zogby, a Democratic pollster.

From Salon

Related Words

• failure
• impotence
• incompetence
• inefficiency
• ineptitude
• lack
• shortcoming
• weakness