inoperative

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "inoperative" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is not functioning or not in effect. Example: "The machinery was declared inoperative after the safety inspection revealed several critical issues."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Either they dissolve themselves, hand over their arms, apologise and recognise the harm they have inflicted, or the rule of law will dissolve them, leaving them as an inoperative acronym, like Grapo," insists Jorge Fernández Díaz, the interior minister.ETA's leadership was expelled from its sanctuary in Norway earlier this year.

The Economist

For a carbon price to work on a very short timescale it would have to be very high, which may or may not be economically problematic but would surely be politically inoperative.

The Economist

The long list of violations committed by these carriers ranged from inoperative horns to cracked frames.

The Economist

Liberalisation commitments are incomplete, with implementation sometimes open-ended, and important sectors, such as agriculture, often largely excluded.While such limited accords seemingly run foul of WTO obligations regarding regional trading arrangements, the WTO provisions have long been inoperative.

The Economist

India's pharmaceutical companies complained that paragraph six was "practically inoperative" even before the latest safeguards were introduced.

The Economist

Inoperative rockets are prone to random explosions of the unused fuel they carry.

The Economist

ETA became virtually inoperative.

The Economist

Sewing machine attachments are jigs and fixtures used with sewing machines to decrease downtime (the time a machine is inoperative) and thus increase productivity by getting the fabric to the needle, aligning and repositioning fabric under the needle, or extracting and disposing of the sewed materials sooner.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Incas expanded and projected on earlier, pre-Incan solutions and adaptations; in the process, many tactics that had worked well on a smaller scale became inoperative; others were reformulated in such ways that their original outline was barely recognizable.

Encyclopedia Britannica

By then colonial American maritime competition with England had grown so severe that laws of 1663 required colonial ships carrying European goods to America to route them through English ports, where a duty had to be paid, but from lack of enforcement these soon became inoperative.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The latter regarded stabilization and the reduction of the budget deficit as top priorities, but bank chairman Gerashchenko disagreed, stating that industrial chaos and monopolies rendered these policies inoperative.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a system or process that is temporarily not functioning, use "inoperative" to clearly indicate a temporary state rather than a permanent failure.

Common error

Avoid using "inoperative" when "inoperable" is more appropriate. "Inoperable" typically refers to something that cannot be operated on, especially in a medical context, while "inoperative" simply means not functioning.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "inoperative" is as a descriptive adjective. It modifies nouns to indicate that they are not currently working or functioning. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, evidenced by numerous examples from diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Encyclopedias

45%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Science

1%

Academia

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "inoperative" is a versatile adjective used to describe something that is not currently working or functioning. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct and very common. Predominantly found in news and encyclopedia contexts, it maintains a neutral register suitable for general use. When writing, remember to distinguish "inoperative" from "inoperable" to avoid confusion. Leveraging real-world examples and understanding its communicative purpose enhances clarity in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

non-functional

Indicates a complete lack of functionality, often used for mechanical or electronic devices.

out of order

Commonly used for equipment that is temporarily not working.

not working

A general term for something that isn't functioning correctly.

unserviceable

Suggests that something is beyond repair or no longer fit for use.

defunct

Implies that something has ceased to exist or function.

inactive

Describes something that is not currently in use or operation.

invalid

Refers to something that is not legally or officially recognized.

void

Similar to invalid, but often used in legal contexts.

unusable

Indicates that something cannot be used due to its condition.

idle

Suggests that something is not currently in use, but is still functional.

FAQs

How can I use "inoperative" in a sentence?

You can use "inoperative" to describe something that is not working or functioning. For example, "The machinery was declared inoperative after the inspection."

What's a synonym for "inoperative"?

Alternatives to "inoperative" include "non-functional", "out of order", or "not working".

What's the difference between "inoperative" and "inoperable"?

"Inoperative" means not functioning, while "inoperable" often refers to something that cannot be operated on, especially in a medical context.

Is it correct to say something is "practically inoperative"?

Yes, describing something as "practically inoperative" suggests it's so ineffective as to be essentially not working, like saying something is almost "useless".