Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not suitable for surgery: Used to describe a medical condition, typically a tumor or growth, that cannot be safely or effectively treated with a surgical operation.
   • Not able to perform its normal function: Used to describe a machine, system, or plan that is not working, not functional, or cannot be put into effect.

Usage Examples

• Medical context (not suitable for surgery):
  • The cancer was diagnosed at a late stage and is now inoperable.
  • Surgeons determined the tumor's location made it inoperable.
• General context (not functional):
  • The old factory's machinery is obsolete and inoperable.
  • The proposed law was deemed inoperable and was withdrawn from parliament.

Advanced Usage

• "to render something inoperable": to cause something to become non-functional or unsuitable for surgery.
  • The severe damage from the accident rendered the vehicle inoperable.
  • The spread of the disease rendered the original surgical plan inoperable.

Variants and Related Words

• Inoperability (noun): The state or condition of being inoperable.
  • The inoperability of the tumor was a major setback.
• Operable (adjective): The direct antonym, meaning suitable for surgery or capable of being used/functional.
  • Fortunately, the cancer was detected early and is operable.

Synonyms

• Medical: Unresectable, non-operable.
• General: Non-functional, broken, useless, impracticable, unworkable.

Antonyms

• Medical: Operable, resectable.
• General: Functional, operative, workable, usable.

Adjective

1. not suitable for surgery
   • metastasis has rendered the tumor inoperable
2. not able to perform its normal function