nonviable

[ non-vahy-uh-buhl ]

adjective

1. not capable of living, growing, and developing, as an embryo, seed, or plant.
2. not practicable or workable:

   a nonviable plan.

Other Words From

• nonvi·a·bili·ty noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of nonviable¹

First recorded in 1875–80; non- + viable

Example Sentences

In 2022, Texas enacted laws that prohibit all abortions except when the life or health of the pregnant patient is at risk, including an exception to terminate ectopic pregnancies, which are always nonviable and life-threatening.

From Salon

Pregnant women are being forced to cross state lines to terminate nonviable pregnancies.

From Salon

The other 19 plaintiffs shared similar stories of being denied abortions in Texas despite carrying risky or nonviable pregnancies.

From BBC

Explaining her own passionate support for abortion access, Schwiebert cited her son and daughter-in-law; they tried to have a child through IVF, only for the pregnancy to become nonviable and require an abortion.

From Los Angeles Times

“We’re here to repeal a bad law,” said State Senator Eva Burch, who had an abortion this spring to end a nonviable pregnancy — an experience she described in an emotional floor speech.

From New York Times

Related Words

• absurd
• illogical
• impossible
• improbable
• quixotic
• speculative
• unattainable
• unreal
• unusable
• unwise
• unworkable
• useless