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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in malfunctioning
not being in working order
looking for an expert to fix the inoperative grandfather clock
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inoperative
Perhaps most notably, both sides deploy decoy vehicles—either inoperative derelicts or inflatable fakes—to draw enemy fire away from real vehicles.
—
David Axe, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Although there several election ballot scanners were inoperative at multiple polling locations in Cambria County in Pennsylvania, no widespread voting problems had been reported by the late afternoon.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
The undercover sources were with him every step of the way, picking him up from his home, traveling to Nashville, and providing him with inoperative explosives, prosecutors said.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
On Tuesday morning, several election ballot scanners were inoperative at multiple polling locations in Pennsylvania.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for inoperative
David Axe, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2024
Although there several election ballot scanners were inoperative at multiple polling locations in Cambria County in Pennsylvania, no widespread voting problems had been reported by the late afternoon.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
The undercover sources were with him every step of the way, picking him up from his home, traveling to Nashville, and providing him with inoperative explosives, prosecutors said.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 5 Nov. 2024
On Tuesday morning, several election ballot scanners were inoperative at multiple polling locations in Pennsylvania.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for inoperative
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inoperative
Adjective
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The cause of the blaze has not been determined, but the company has acknowledged that it may have been sparked by a faulty dormant power line operated by Edison.—
Caroline Petrow-Cohen,
Los Angeles Times,
22 May 2025
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Perhaps the Flyers believe that a certain segment of the fan base that’s been dormant through what has been a mostly incompetent decade will awaken with the return of one of the organization’s most popular all-time players now running the day-to-day operations at ice level.—
Kevin Kurz,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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The court ordered that four of Trump’s executive orders are invalid and must be repealed.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
30 May 2025
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The suit argues that the designation of Chuckwalla was an invalid use of the Antiquities Act, and also claims the Antiquities Act itself is unconstitutional.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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For those who aren’t seeking beach time, the island also was praised for offering historic sites, golf courses and other off-shore activities.—
Simone Jasper,
Miami Herald,
3 June 2025
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After an off day Thursday, the Arizona Diamondbacks come to GABP for three games.—
C. Trent Rosecrans,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Adjective
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But the murder forced UHG to face a harsh fact: The health care system has never felt more broken to the patients it’s meant to serve.—
Alyson Shontell,
Fortune,
2 June 2025
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Cleaning up debris In the Sunday mid-morning heat, Heather Garcia and Tomlin were outside cleaning their yards, picking up the seemingly endless bits of broken glass.—
Noelle Alviz-Gransee,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2025
Adjective
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Null and Void The first major point of controversy involves something called the null energy condition, under which—among other things—energy can’t propagate faster than light.—
Lyndie Chiou,
Scientific American,
30 Apr. 2025
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Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s team also provided information that could render these accusations null.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Sadly, the Skirvin closed its doors in the late '80s and sat vacant for two decades.—
Anne Roderique-Jones,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2025
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Shortly after her defeat, Kim declared her candidacy in December to fill the now- vacant 5th District seat, which Agran left after winning the mayoral election.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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Baker said radio communications between the pilot and air traffic controllers indicated the pilot knew the weather system was inoperable.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 May 2025
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Lights inside the three-door upright roller were inoperable.—
Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado,
Sacbee.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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This year’s group also includes 16 corporate CEOs, a record, and a sign of the emergence of a class of business leaders who are filling a leadership void.—
Sam Jacobs,
Time,
16 Apr. 2025
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The party has also been mired in a leadership void as former President Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris have largely remained out of the spotlight.—
Caroline Vakil,
The Hill,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inoperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inoperative. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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