inoperable
/in'ɔpərəbl/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- 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- The old factory's machinery is obsolete and inoperable.
- The proposed law was deemed inoperable and was withdrawn from parliament.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
- not suitable for surgery
- metastasis has rendered the tumor inoperable
- not able to perform its normal function