incapable

in·ca·pable
I1N1C3A1P3A1B3L1E1
/ɪnˈkeɪpəbl̩//ɪŋˈkeɪpəbl̩/

adjective

Not capable (of doing something); unable.

“I consider him incapable of dishonesty.”

Opposite
Less commonScrabble 15

Meanings

adjectiveincapable (comparative more incapable, superlative most incapable)

comparative more incapable · superlative most incapable

  1. Not capable (of doing something); unable.

    I consider him incapable of dishonesty.

    3 more examples

    A pint glass is incapable of holding more than a pint of liquid.

    The British people seem incapable of avoiding the habit of leaving litter wherever they go, and the railways certainly seem to receive their fair share of it, in carriages and on stations.

    1962 October, Brian Haresnape, “Focus on B.R. passenger stations”, in Modern Railways, page 254

    According to the prevailing Danish rationale, Greenlanders were naïve and childlike, in need of protection and incapable of governing themselves.

    2019 August 22, Matthew H. Birkhold, “A Brief History of the Indignities Heaped Upon Greenland”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 16 Jul 2020

    Synonyms: unable

  2. Not in a state to receive; not receptive; not susceptible; not able to admit.

    incapable of pain, or pleasure; incapable of stain or injury

    Synonyms: refusing

nounincapable (plural incapables)

plural incapables

  1. datedOne who is morally or mentally weak or inefficient; an imbecile; a simpleton.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveNot capable (of doing something); unable.

Similar

adjectiveNot in a state to receive; not receptive; not susceptible; not able to admit.

Similar
Opposite

More synonyms by meaning

adjective(followed by ‘of’) lacking capacity or ability

Similar
Opposite

adjectivenot being susceptible to or admitting of something (usually followed by ‘of’)

adjective(followed by ‘of’) not having the temperament or inclination for

Opposite

adjectivenot meeting requirements

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Middle Frenchincapable
  2. Englishincapable

Borrowed from Middle French incapable, equivalent to in- + capable.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic عَاجِز
  • عَاجِز (ʕājiz)not being capable
Bulgarian неспособен
  • неспособен (nesposoben)not being capable
Catalan incapaç
  • incapaçnot being capable
Esperanto malkapabla
  • malkapablanot being capable
Finnish kyvytön, kykenemätön
  • kyvytönnot being capable
  • kykenemätönnot being capable
French incapable
  • incapablenot being capable
Greek ανίκανος
  • ανίκανος (aníkanos)not being capable
Hindi असमर्थ
  • असमर्थ (asmarth)not being capable
Japanese できない, 無理な
  • できない (dekinai)not being capable
  • 無理な (muri na)not being capable
  • 不能な (funō na)not being capable
  • 無縁な (muen na)not in a state to receive
  • 拒む (kobamu)not in a state to receive
Latin incapax
  • incapaxnot being capable
Polish niezdolny
  • niezdolnynot being capable
Portuguese incapaz
  • incapaznot being capable
Romanian incapabil
  • incapabilnot being capable
Spanish incapaz
  • incapaznot being capable
Cite this entry
APA

incapable. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/incapable

MLA

“incapable.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/incapable. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “incapable,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/incapable.

Source: incapable on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.