inoperative

adjective

(ˌ)in-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-tiv How to pronounce inoperative (audio)
Definition of inoperativenext
1
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment be careful when putting your hands in even an inoperative garbage disposal

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2
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order looking for an expert to fix the inoperative grandfather clock

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3
as in invalid
having no legal or binding force the decision of the state's supreme court has rendered the law inoperative

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of inoperative On Tuesday morning, several election ballot scanners were inoperative at multiple polling locations in Pennsylvania. — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024 By June 73 per cent of the country’s thermal power generating units had been rendered inoperative. — David Hambling, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 All of that will be instantly inoperative as of January 21, 2025, if not right after Election Day. — Rich Lowry, National Review, 3 Sep. 2024 In these conditions, if the ABS falsely activates and a specific sequence of wheel movements occur, the vehicle’s ABS system will continue to release braking pressure, which can reduce stopping performance or the service brakes can become inoperative, increasing the risk of a crash, Acura said. — Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 2 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for inoperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperative
  1. dormant
  2. invalid
  3. off
  4. broken
  5. null
  6. vacant
  7. inoperable
  8. void
Adjective
  • Producing companies can maintain decent drilling programs at $70 oil, but most of the currently active rigs would quickly go dormant at $50 per barrel.
    — David Blackmon, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Obligate diapause solves this by ensuring that the whole population goes dormant just before pupation, the final transformation from larva to adult.
    — Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • China refused to participate in the proceedings and maintains the award is invalid.
    — William Lambers, Newsweek, 10 Mar. 2025
  • Reina’s attorney argued in part that the lawsuit is invalid because statutes of limitation have expired.
    — Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of invalid
Adjective
  • Stewart’s on-field production left a lot to be desired last year, but his motor doesn’t have an off switch.
    — Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Park officials later discovered the remains in the original search area using a human remains detection canine during an off-trail grid search.
    — David Chiu, People.com, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of off
Adjective
  • Hurt In Minors, In Hall Of Fame A broken arm at age 19 while diving for a flyball in the minors turned a promising pitcher into a full-time outfielder who hit his way into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
    — Chuck Murr, Forbes, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The most poignant of those messages came from safety Josh Metellus, who posted a broken heart emoji that indicated the Vikings were moving on from his best friend.
    — Dane Mizutani, Twin Cities, 10 Mar. 2025
Definition of broken
Adjective
  • According to the sages of Wall Street, the legacy cable/satellite/telco-TV bundle is as dead as the Diplodocus, although there are still an awful lot of customers banging around in that null set.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Or at least Eren couldn’t, and his conclusion ably demonstrated the scientific value of null results.
    — Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 2 Jan. 2025
Definition of null
Adjective
  • Tourists will still come by the thousands to admire the monuments, even if some of the big stone buildings turn vacant, like the ruins of the Roman Forum.
    — Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The council recently appointed Roberts to fill a vacant seat.
    — Greg Wehner, Fox News, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of vacant
Adjective
  • Cars were found to be frozen and inoperable, and as of Wednesday, crews were working through the ice.
    — Taylor Ardrey, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025
  • NetBlocks, a company that tracks global internet censorship, said there was no indication that any internet service provider was blocking the app, and that its unavailability was purely through TikTok making the service inoperable for U.S. users.
    — Kevin Collier, NBC News, 19 Jan. 2025
Definition of inoperable
Adjective
  • With that money spread out over the course of his contract and into the four void years after his deal expires, his cap hit in 2025 is now $52.574 million.
    — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Mar. 2025
  • By repeating his plan to clear out Gaza, Trump has shifted the Overton window in the Middle East and reinforced the idea that Palestinians’ claims are somehow void.
    — Hussein Ibish, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of void

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Cite this Entry

“Inoperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperative. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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