unviable

USAGE SUMMARY

"unviable" is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is an adjective used to describe something that cannot function or be successful; it indicates that a situation is not viable or feasible. For example, "It proved to be an unviable business strategy as the company went bankrupt soon after its launch."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Underneath the thick layers of greenwash many of these schemes are unsustainable, unviable and unpopular, but Gordon Brown wants to impose them from Whitehall irrespective of local opinion".

The Guardian

"Criminal barristers will no longer be able to accept cases funded by legal aid as they will be financially unviable.

The Guardian

Moreover a different financial set-up makes the cases "economically unviable".

The Guardian

Mirvish cemented his status as cultural hero by becoming a theatre impresario, refurbishing the Royal Alexandra Theatre in 1963 (another supposedly unviable building slated for the wrecking ball) and the Old Vic in London, which went on to enjoy a golden age, and for which Mirvish was awarded a CBE.

The Guardian

Research into ways to engineer the Earth's climate as a last-ditch response to global warming will be rendered "unviable" if the associated ethical issues are not tackled first, a leading environmental philosopher has warned.

The Guardian

That means the whole processing line becomes unviable," Joyce told reporters on Monday.

The Guardian

When he left in 1982, after the centre became unviable, he ensured that all his colleagues were found lectureships elsewhere, while the rich Comenius library followed him to a new research chair in European history at Oxford.

The Guardian - Books

"Unless you can deal with these social and political issues then any kind of geoengineering would be unviable anyway – or at least any remotely ethically defensible version would be unviable".

The Guardian

However, firms with a lower rating are generally charged a higher interest rate, which makes this strategy unviable.

The Economist

The answer is cloudier than the ECB would wish.If the review is to quell the doubters it will identify a number of banks that are unviable as they stand.

The Economist

"Without that, the projects become unviable," he says.The backlash against mining has been building for some years.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a business or project as "unviable", provide specific reasons why it is not likely to succeed. For example, "The project was unviable due to high costs and low demand."

Common error

Avoid stating that something is "unviable" without providing supporting evidence or justification. Back up your claim with concrete reasons and analysis.

Linguistic Context

The word "unviable" primarily functions as an adjective. It modifies nouns to describe something that is not capable of surviving, succeeding, or working effectively. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is correctly used in written English. For example, "an unviable business plan."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

28%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "unviable" functions as an adjective denoting something incapable of succeeding or being sustained. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, and the phrase appears "Very common" across diverse contexts, particularly in "News & Media". While the term is generally "neutral" in register, it's essential to provide specific reasons when describing something as "unviable" to avoid vague assertions. Alternatives like "not feasible" and "impractical" offer nuanced ways to express a similar sentiment. Ultimately, "unviable" is a powerful tool for conveying the lack of potential in a plan, project, or situation, especially when supported by evidence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

non-viable

A direct synonym, emphasizing the inability to survive or succeed.

not feasible

Emphasizes the impracticality of something.

not sustainable

Highlights the inability of something to be maintained over time.

impractical

Focuses on the lack of practicality in a given situation.

impossible

Indicates that something cannot be done or achieved.

not workable

Highlights that something cannot function effectively.

inoperable

Focuses on the inability of something to operate.

doomed to failure

Highlights the certainty of a negative outcome.

not realistic

Emphasizes the lack of grounding in reality.

economically unsound

Highlights the financial instability or weakness of something.

FAQs

What does "unviable" mean?

"Unviable" means not capable of working successfully; not feasible. It describes something that cannot survive or be realistically carried out.

How can I use "unviable" in a sentence?

You can use "unviable" to describe plans, businesses, or even living organisms that cannot sustain themselves. For example: "The business plan proved "unviable" due to lack of funding".

What are some synonyms for "unviable"?

Some synonyms for "unviable" include "not feasible", "impractical", "non-viable", and "unsustainable".

Is "unviable" the same as "impossible"?

While both terms indicate a lack of feasibility, "unviable" suggests that something is not practically or economically feasible, whereas "impossible" suggests that something cannot happen at all. Something "unviable" might be theoretically possible but not realistic.