inoperable

IPA/ɪnˈɒpərəbl/
KK[ˌɪnˈɑpɚəbəl]IPA/ɪnˈɑːpərəbl/

inoperable — adjective

  • inoperablepositive
  • more inoperablecomparative
  • most inoperablesuperlative

1. describing a tumour, cancer, or diseased body part that cannot be removed or cur

1.形容詞C1
釋義

describing a tumour, cancer, or diseased body part that cannot be removed or cured by performing a surgical operation.

例句

Theo's lung tumour was inoperable, so he received chemotherapy instead.

inoperable tumour — collocation with specific body part

When the cancer was found to be inoperable, the team focused on slowing its growth.

passive: found to be inoperable

同義詞
  • untreatable

    broader meaning — includes any kind of treatment, not just surgery

  • incurable

    no known cure at all, whereas 'inoperable' leaves open the possibility of non-surgical treatment

  • non-resectable

    specifically surgical term for a tumour that cannot be cut out; more technical and less common in everyday speech

反義詞
  • operable

    direct opposite — can be treated by surgery

  • resectable

    surgical term; capable of being surgically removed

文法句型

inoperable + noun (tumour, cancer, condition)

用法筆記

Almost always used for tumours, cancers, or damaged organs. 'Inoperable' describes the condition, not the patient — avoid saying 'the patient is inoperable.' The opposite is 'operable.'

常見錯誤

❌The patient is inoperable.
✅The patient has an inoperable tumour.
💡'inoperable' describes the medical condition, not the person.
❌Her broken leg is inoperable.
✅Her broken leg cannot be treated with surgery.
💡'inoperable' is used for growths and internal conditions, not for broken bones, which are 'non-surgical' or 'treated without surgery.'

2. describing equipment, a procedure, or a scheme that is not in a working conditio

2.形容詞B2
釋義

describing equipment, a procedure, or a scheme that is not in a working condition or has become impractical to carry out.

例句

After the flood, the factory's control system was inoperable and production stopped.

system + was + inoperable — stative use with equipment

Gabriel tried to start the old generator, but the engine was inoperable.

同義詞
  • inoperative

    very similar in meaning; slightly more formal and more common for machines and official systems

  • non-functional

    more neutral and descriptive; common in technical writing

  • broken down

    informal; suggests a vehicle or large machine that has suddenly stopped working

反義詞

文法句型

be + inoperable

leave + noun + inoperable

render + noun + inoperable

用法筆記

More formal than 'broken' or 'not working.' Common in technical reports, official notices, and news about infrastructure failures. The noun 'inoperability' exists but is very rare — prefer 'failure' or 'down time.'

常見錯誤

❌The phone battery is inoperable.
✅The phone is inoperable.
💡'inoperable' describes the whole device or system, not a replaceable part.
❌My car is inoperable because I need to buy new tires.
✅The elevator is inoperable because a cable snapped.
💡'inoperable' suggests a serious functional failure, not a minor or routine issue.