English Reference

Word

inoperable

Phoneticsin·op·er·a·ble

US/ˌɪˈnɑpɝəbəɫ/

UK/ɪnˈɒpəɹəbəl/

Definition

adj. describing a medical condition or object that cannot be fixed or used. In medicine, it usually means a tumor that is too deep or dangerous to remove through surgery.

adj. incapable of being operated on or repaired; specifically, a medical condition that cannot be treated surgically. Often used to describe tumors that are too large, deep, or close to vital structures to be safely removed.

Examples

“The doctors said the tumor was inoperable.”

“After several tests, the surgeon concluded that the growth was inoperable and recommended a different treatment plan.”

“While the patient's condition was technically inoperable, the medical team managed to stabilize his symptoms through a combination of chemotherapy and targeted radiation therapy.”

Examples

simple

“The doctors said the tumor was inoperable.”

contextual

“After several tests, the surgeon concluded that the growth was inoperable and recommended a different treatment plan.”

complex

“While the patient's condition was technically inoperable, the medical team managed to stabilize his symptoms through a combination of chemotherapy and targeted radiation therapy.”

Real-World Examples

“There is no pledge to protect the international court of justice or the international criminal court from the US drive to render them inoperable.”
The Guardian · 8 Sept 2026

Etymology

From in- + operable.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Surgery

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/inoperable

English Reference