unusable

/ˌʌnˈjuːzəbl/ (bre, ipa) · [ənjˈuzəbəl] /ˌʌnˈjuːzəbl/ (ame, ipa) · [ənjˈuzəbəl] /ˌən-ˈyü-zə-bəl How to pronounce unusable (audio)/ (ame, mw)

unusable — adjective

  • unusablepositive
  • more unusablecomparative
  • most unusablesuperlative

1. describes something that is in such poor condition — broken, damaged, or of very

1.形容詞B2
釋義

describes something that is in such poor condition — broken, damaged, or of very low quality — that you cannot make use of it for its intended purpose

例句

After the flood, Talia's kitchen was unusable because every cabinet was water-damaged.

passive: be + unusable + reason clause

The data on that old hard drive is unusable since most of the files are corrupt.

inanimate subject + is unusable

同義詞
  • useless

    broader range — can mean unhelpful or ineffective even if technically functional; unusable always implies physical or mechanical failure

  • broken

    more specific to mechanical/physical damage; a broken item is always unusable, but an unusable item may simply be unsuitable rather than physically broken

  • defective

    focuses on manufacturing flaws or design faults rather than damage from use

反義詞
  • usable

    direct opposite; in working condition

  • functional

    emphasises that the item does its job properly

文法句型

be/become/render + unusable

completely/totally/largely unusable

用法筆記

Frequently describes physical objects, equipment, or digital resources that have suffered damage or failure. Unlike useless, which can also mean 'not helpful in achieving a goal', unusable always implies a concrete failure to function.

常見錯誤

❌My grandmother's old phone is unusable because it is slow.
✅My grandmother's old phone is still usable, but she finds it too slow.
💡unusable means the item cannot function at all, not just that it is out of date or inconvenient.