inoperable

UK: /ɪnˈɒpərəb^əl/

US: /ɪnˈɑpərəbəl, -ˈɑprəbəl/

US: (in op′ər ə bəl, -op′rə bəl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•op•er•a•ble /ɪnˈɑpərəbəl, -ˈɑprəbəl/   adj. 

1. not operable;
   that cannot be made practical:
   an inoperable plan.
2. Surgery, Medicine that cannot be treated by surgery:
   an inoperable brain tumor.

See -oper-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•op•er•a•ble  (in op′ər ə bəl, -op′rə bəl), adj. 

1. not operable or practicable.
2. Surgery, Medicine [Med.] not admitting of a surgical operation because the pathological condition is not amenable to cure by surgery or because of undue risk. Cf. operable (def. 1).

• in-³ + operable 1885–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

inoperable / ɪnˈɒpərəb^əl -ˈɒprə-/ adjective

1. incapable of being implemented or operated; unworkable
2. not suitable for operation without risk, esp (of a malignant tumour) because metastasis has rendered surgery useless

inˌoperaˈbility, inˈoperableness noun

inˈoperably adverb