Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Not functioning; inoperative.
  • adjective Unsuitable for a surgical procedure.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • That cannot be operated on.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Incapable of being successfully surgically operated on.
  • adjective Incapable of correct operation or function; inoperative.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective not able to perform its normal function
  • adjective not suitable for surgery

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word inoperable.

Examples

  • But Allison Frey, whose aggressive form of thyroid cancer spread to her liver in inoperable patches, says that approach has made her cancer an illness she can manage much like a diabetic manages insulin.

    New Hope For Cancer Therapy AP 2010

  • When something is called inoperable, basically that means that performing an operation will actually cause more harm than good.

    CNN Transcript May 20, 2008 2008

  • Some of the discussion will revolve around the definition of "inoperable" used in PARTNER B and the use of "standard" therapy in these patients.

    Forbes.com: News Larry Husten 2011

  • 'Her tumour had been called inoperable and surgery was thought to be impossible,' Dr Herbert Pardes, the president of New York Presbyterian Hospital told a news conference.

    unknown title 2009

  • Yet two mind-numbing revelations make that word inoperable: 1. the scientists at East Anglia University have admitted they threw away most of the raw temperature data on which their conclusions about global warming are based; 2. the BBC has admitted they were aware of this story over a month ago and refused to report it.

    Political Mavens 2009

  • He then proclaimed the Vision and Values statement "inoperable" since the group failed to comply with OSHA guidelines during the infiltration.

    Steven Clifford: Corporate America To Fight Taliban 2010

  • He then proclaimed the Vision and Values statement "inoperable" since the group failed to comply with OSHA guidelines during the infiltration.

    Steven Clifford: Corporate America To Fight Taliban 2010

  • KING: When someone says something you to like "inoperable" or "terminal" or those kinds of words, how do you deal with that?

    CNN Transcript Apr 12, 2007 2007

  • KING: When someone says something you to like "inoperable" or "terminal" or those kinds of words, how do you deal with that?

    CNN Transcript Apr 15, 2007 2007

  • I walked by that seat on the way back and all I saw was a sign that said 'inoperable' and nothing wrong with the actual seat.

    Archive 2005-01-01 John 2005

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.