is unable to judge

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is unable to judge" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing someone's incapacity to make a judgment or assessment about a situation or person. Example: "Due to the lack of information, she is unable to judge the quality of the proposal."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

As the hen is unable to judge of the quality of the egg it lays, so the novelist is rarely able to explain or evaluate his work.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In March a Swiss man was jailed for ten years for defacing the king's portrait but was pardoned and deported.The Thai public is unable to judge the merits of these supposed offences because the press cannot explain them properly without being accused of repeating the crime.

The Economist

Since Jojo is unable to judge that his actions are wrong he meets the conditions for insanity as stated in the M'Naghten rules (See section 3.5.1 above).

SEP

This search is usually computation time intensive and after the elapse of a significant portion of time the user is unable to judge whether the state of interest is not reachable or the algorithm requires more time to terminate.

Journal of Systems and Software

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Naturally, I am unable to judge her on this score.

The Guardian - Opinion

Personally, I am unable to judge – I always wear a mask.

The Guardian - Opinion

As it is, we're unable to judge the evidence for ourselves.

The New York Times - Books

He did so after concluding that because the settlement failed to include any agreed-upon facts, the court was unable to judge whether the outcome was fair, adequate reasonable or in the public interest.

The New York Times

But others were unable to judge the ultimate impact of the ruling because the Inspection Services did not specify what standards would now have to be met by Italian producers, nor the expense of meeting them.

The New York Times - Food

The platform argued that it was possible to preserve peace "without the compromise of national independence, without depriving the people of the United States in advance of the right to determine for themselves what is just and fair when the occasion arises, and without involving them as participants and not as peacemakers in a multitude of quarrels, the merits of which they are unable to judge".

Encyclopedia Britannica

We are unable to judge whether one firm is better than another in terms of the effectiveness of independent directors simply from their form.

The Journal of Chinese Sociology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "is unable to judge", ensure the reason for the inability is clear to provide context and avoid ambiguity. For instance, specify if it's due to a lack of information, expertise, or a conflict of interest.

Common error

Avoid using "is unable to judge" when the situation implies a lack of willingness rather than a true inability. If someone chooses not to make a judgment, phrases like "declines to comment" or "refrains from judging" are more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is unable to judge" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase, indicating a lack of capacity or competence to form an assessment. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable. Examples show it's often used when someone lacks sufficient information or expertise.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

35%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "is unable to judge" is a versatile expression used to indicate a lack of capacity or competence to form an assessment or opinion. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is grammatically correct and frequently used across various contexts, including science, news media, and encyclopedias. While alternatives such as "incapable of judging" or "not in a position to assess" exist, "is unable to judge" remains a clear and widely accepted way to convey an inability to make a judgment. Remember to specify the reason behind the inability to provide clarity and avoid misinterpretations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

incapable of judging

Replaces "is unable" with "incapable of", maintaining the core meaning of lacking ability.

not in a position to assess

Substitutes "judge" with "assess" and uses "not in a position" to indicate a lack of suitability.

lacks the capacity to evaluate

Emphasizes the absence of capability to "evaluate", suggesting a more formal assessment.

cannot form an opinion on

Focuses on the inability to create an opinion, implying a lack of sufficient information.

unqualified to determine

Highlights a lack of qualifications or expertise required for judgment.

not competent to decide

Indicates a lack of necessary competence to make a decision or judgment.

unable to make a determination

Replaces "judge" with "make a determination", suggesting a more formal and decisive assessment.

cannot pass judgment on

Emphasizes the inability to formally or critically evaluate something.

ill-equipped to appraise

Highlights a lack of necessary resources or knowledge for proper appraisal.

not able to weigh the merits of

Focuses on the inability to properly consider the advantages and disadvantages.

FAQs

How can I use "is unable to judge" in a sentence?

You can use "is unable to judge" to indicate a lack of capacity to form an opinion or assessment. For example, "Due to the complexity of the data, the analyst is unable to judge the long-term effects of the policy."

What are some alternatives to "is unable to judge"?

Alternatives include "incapable of judging", "not in a position to assess", or "lacks the capacity to evaluate", depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "is unable to judge" or "cannot judge"?

"Is unable to judge" and "cannot judge" are often interchangeable. "Is unable to judge" can sometimes imply a more profound or systemic inability, while "cannot judge" is generally more direct and widely applicable.

What's the difference between "is unable to judge" and "is unwilling to judge"?

"Is unable to judge" indicates a lack of capacity or competence, while "is unwilling to judge" implies a conscious choice not to make a judgment, even if the ability exists. The former is about capability, the latter about choice.