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unserviceable

unserviceable

1 7.4
Cannot be used because it is broken or damaged
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈsɜːrvɪsəbl/
translation icon : inservible
  • Due to extensive rust and wear, the bicycle was considered unserviceable and was discarded.

Examples

  • Eventually, one of these cycles goes so deep that currency supply (and demand) falls so low that too many debts become unserviceable.

    Blog text (13)
  • El Barzon experienced dramatic urban growth in 1995, as high interest rates and a contracting economy saddled thousands of middle-class families and small businesses with unserviceable debt obligations.

    Academic text (2000)
  • From its start, it set itself against "rote" memorization of "masses of unserviceable information."

    Academic text (2002)
  • When the GPU starts to fail, the PS3 will become unserviceable.

    Blog text (34)
  • I, of course, opined on the current and impending impacts of massive debt-deflation and of unserviceable public and private debt, etc.

    Blog text (3)
  • As a bonus, canceling the debts would help to restore the crumbling banking system by cleaning the assets from unserviceable loans.

    Academic text (2011)
  • If we are not careful, our military will be expected to execute its mission with weapons that are not yet developed, transported on antiquated, unserviceable platforms, and assigned to inexperienced soldiers who have not been trained to use them.

    Academic text (1996)
  • We've got an unserviceable stabilizer trim, doubtful rudder control, and structural damage.

  • What he was really doing was shipping the serviceable weapons to Syria via Turkey while destroying some stocks or unserviceable weapons for show for the lapdog media.

    Blog text (28)
  • The car was deemed unserviceable after the accident and couldn't be repaired.

Synonyms

unusable
vsunserviceable
16 2.3

Damaged or broken so it does not work

is the general expression for not being fit for use
out of service
vsunserviceable
15 3.5

Not working or available to use, often for a short time

indicates a lasting or complete inability to be used rather than temporary
nonoperational
vsunserviceable
1 4.6

Not working or currently not in use

describes inability to be used rather than just temporary nonuse
nonworking
vsunserviceable
3.9

Not operating or being used

emphasizes being unusable rather than mere current nonoperation
unfunctional
vsunserviceable
8.2

Not useful for everyday tasks

focuses on being unusable rather than only lacking everyday suitability

Antonyms

64 2.3

Fit for a purpose and works well

11 4.4

Works well enough for use even if not nice

How Usable

functional
81 3.2
serviceable
11 4.4
worn
4 2.1
unserviceable
1 7.4

Surface Forms

unserviceable positive

Morphology

unserviceable = serviceable (transparent) = un + service + able

The prefix 'un-' clearly negates the meaning of 'serviceable', making the word's meaning directly derivable.

Etymology

The word unserviceable breaks down into un- ('not'), service ('help' or 'use') and -able ('can be'), so it literally means 'not able to be used'. That's why we call a broken road, plane, or machine unserviceable — it cannot be used or is out of working order.