Examples of unable in a Sentence
I was unable to afford the trip.
He was unable to play tennis after the injury.
Recent Examples on the Web
Emergency vehicles were unable to quickly reach the incident because nearby streets were clogged with crowds and vehicles.
—
Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026
Ibrahim, whose legs were severely beaten in the incident, was unable to access proper medical treatment, and was in unrelenting pain.
—Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
The case was referred to mediation, but the lawsuit was dismissed this month because Russ was unable to find local counsel to represent him (he was represented by an attorney out of Pearland).
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
In the letter, Noem said 241 of them had criminal histories, which the Tribune was unable to verify.
—Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unable
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026
Ibrahim, whose legs were severely beaten in the incident, was unable to access proper medical treatment, and was in unrelenting pain.
—Annie Hylton, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
The case was referred to mediation, but the lawsuit was dismissed this month because Russ was unable to find local counsel to represent him (he was represented by an attorney out of Pearland).
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
In the letter, Noem said 241 of them had criminal histories, which the Tribune was unable to verify.
—Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for unable
Cite this Entry
“Unable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unable. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
unable
adjective
un·able
ˌən-ˈā-bəl 
ˈən-
: not able : incapable
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
