Word a Day
unable
What does unable mean?
unable (adjective): not able; lacking a certain ability.
Definition: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
How do you use unable in a sentence?
- He was unable to sleep. (Tatoeba sentence #13905787 by zogwarg, CC BY 2.0 FR)
How do you pronounce unable?
/ʌnˈeɪbl̩/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does unable come from?
From Middle English unable, unabel, unhable, unhabil, equivalent to un- + able.
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “unable”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “unable” mean?
at or constituting a border or edge
Not quite: that's what marginal means.
contrived by art rather than nature
Not quite: that's what artificial means.
not able; lacking a certain ability
Right! That's what “unable” means.
feeling sorrow; sorrowful, mournful
Not quite: that's what sad means.
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