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 Of those who reported incidents, none saw a low voltage battery warning before the exterior door handles became inoperative. — Dave Smith, Fortune, 17 Sep. 2025 But the speed came from all three levels of Green Bay’s defense, rendering Washington’s offense almost inoperative. — Nicki Jhabvala, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025 If the main engines were to become inoperative, six smaller orbit-control thrusters can still be activated on the lunar surface, providing an alternative pathway for a rapid ascent. — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026 The agency has also probed 2021 Tesla Model Y vehicles after reports of exterior door handles becoming inoperative due to low battery voltage, leading to instances of children stuck inside. — Andrea Guzmán, Austin American Statesman, 5 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inoperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperative
  1. dormant
  2. malfunctioning
  3. invalid
  4. off
  5. inoperable
  6. void
  7. vacant
  8. down
Adjective
  • Some of the renovations have been successful; fountains are running anew, including the long-dormant cascading water feature at the city’s popular Meridian Hill Park.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • Our bedroom is obviously dormant and dead, but that’s ok too.
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has opened an investigation into the owner of a malfunctioning chemical storage tank in Garden Grove that has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents as fire crews race to avoid an explosion.
    — Sean Emery, Oc Register, 24 May 2026
  • Despite the accomplishments, Artemis II astronauts had to contend with a more mundane problem -- a malfunctioning space toilet.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2026
Definition of malfunctioning
Adjective
  • The lawsuit, filed Thursday in federal court in Northern California, claims the tech giant’s private arbitration order barring her from speaking about the company or promoting her bestselling book is invalid.
    — Barbara Ortutay, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
  • Rather than defend the statute, Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a joint motion siding with the DOJ in its interpretation that the law is invalid.
    — Matthew Kelly Updated June 25, Kansas City Star, 25 June 2026
Definition of invalid
Adjective
  • Sooryavanshi missed his first two balls and got off the mark with a sketchy inside edge that pinged past his off stump.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
  • If your student has an off-campus job or a position that requires them to work odd hours, a car might be worth the expense and hassle.
    — Chris Teague, AJC.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of off
Adjective
  • There’s also a physical threshold above which runways themselves become inoperable.
    — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 30 June 2026
  • The lawsuit points to a May 6 mayoral debate where Bass was asked about cuts to the LAFD's operational budget, which left fire engines inoperable.
    — Chelsea Hylton, CBS News, 24 June 2026
Definition of inoperable
Adjective
  • And since the Lightning have regularly been void of a first-round pick, they’re used to spending a lot of time waiting to make their selections.
    — Eduardo A. Encina, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2026
  • The void being filled is not a very large one, either, Schaefer said, noting that only 2 percent of the flying public chose Spirit.
    — Kevin Williams, CNBC, 20 June 2026
Definition of void
Adjective
  • And New York City has championed these conversions, offering tax incentives to turn older vacant office buildings into livable spaces.
    — Samantha Delouya, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • The only pedestrians passing by one vacant dirt lot near 6th Street were a couple of teens on BMX bikes wearing smoke-blocking face masks.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of vacant
Adjective
  • If Rice and new running back Kenneth Walker can serve as the team’s early down answers that keep defenses honest, that should open up opportunity for Mahomes to finally see some open looks downfield again.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 3 July 2026
  • While last year was a down year compared to the year before, Ovechkin still appeared in all 82 games and potted 64 points, with 32 goals and 32 assists.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of down

Browse Nearby Words

inoperable
inoperative
inopportune
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Cite this Entry

“Inoperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperative. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on inoperative

Nglish: Translation of inoperative for Spanish Speakers

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