Inability

Pronunciation: /ɪˌnəˈbɪləti/

Definitions of inability

noun lack of ability or capacity to do something

Example Sentences

A1 My inability to speak Spanish made it difficult to communicate with the locals.

A2 Her inability to follow simple instructions led to mistakes in the project.

B1 The team's inability to meet deadlines caused delays in the project.

B2 His inability to control his temper often resulted in conflicts with colleagues.

C1 The CEO's inability to adapt to changing market trends led to the company's decline.

C2 Despite his inability to read music, he was a talented pianist who played by ear.

Examples of inability in a Sentence

formal His inability to focus during meetings was becoming a concern for his colleagues.

informal I have an inability to wake up early on weekends.

slang Her inability to chill out is really starting to annoy me.

figurative The storm's fury was matched only by the ship's inability to withstand its power.

Grammatical Forms of inability

• past tense: was unable
• plural: inabilities
• comparative: more unable
• superlative: most unable
• present tense: is unable
• future tense: will be unable
• perfect tense: has been unable
• continuous tense: is being unable
• singular: inability
• positive degree: able
• infinitive: to be unable
• gerund: being unable
• participle: unable

Origin and Evolution of inability

First Known Use: 1400 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'inability' originated from the Latin word 'inabilitas', which is derived from the prefix 'in-' (meaning 'not') and the root 'habilis' (meaning 'able').

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'inability' has retained its original meaning of lacking the ability to do something, but it has also been used more broadly to refer to a general lack of skill or capacity in various contexts.