inability

Examples

• All

• And I have an absolute inability to trust anyone.

  A Good Year (2006)

• In the end, his greatest fault is his inability to understand women.

  Academic text (1990)

• And the first is our nation's inability to do big things like this.

  Tim Ferriss

• And you just see their inability to just simply be honest.

  I've Had It

• So more people are going to die because of the inability to get treated.

• And I read that cat story about that girl's inability to ask for what she wanted.

• And her inability to make a decision about anything.

  2 Days in New York (2012)

• What held her back was the inability to see it only from her own point of view.

  Fiction book (1995)

• We see her frustration, her inability to truly enter the magic box of his world.

  Fiction book (1991)

• You all have something in common-- that's your inability to live in harmony with those who you should love the most.

  Last Resort (1996)

Synonyms

I

impossibility

vsinability

37 5.3

A situation in which something cannot happen

describes a person's lack of ability rather than something totally unable to happen

I

incapacity

vsinability

9 5.4

Not able to do things because your body or mind does not work well

is broader and not limited to physical or mental causes

P

powerlessness

vsinability

9 5.8

A feeling of being unable to control or change what happens

refers to any lack of ability, not specifically to control or influence

I

incompetency

vsinability

3 6.8

Lack of ability to do a job or task well

covers general lack of ability beyond task qualifications

I

incapability

vsinability

1 6.0

Not being able to do something because you lack the ability

focuses on the present lack of ability rather than future potential

I

incapableness

vsinability

7.4

A lack of ability to do something

is the same idea but framed only as a state rather than a quality

U

unfitness

vsinability

6.0

Not able or qualified to do a job

applies more generally and not only to role or strength suitability

I

inaptitude

vsinability

• Formal

8.2

Lack of ability to do a task or job well

is broader, applying to lack of ability in general rather than specific tasks

N

nonproficiency

vsinability

7.9

Not enough skill to do something well

indicates a general lack of ability, not only low skill level

I

impuissance

vsinability

• Literature

9.9

A feeling of being unable to change things

focuses more on ordinary lack of ability, not helplessness to act

Antonyms

A

ability

∞ 1.0

Skill or power to do something

C

capability

473 3.6

Ability to do something or develop a skill

How Able

expertise

302 4.9

competence

69 4.1

ability

∞ 1.0

inability

177 2.8

nonproficiency

7.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology