incapablein‧ca‧pa‧ble /ɪnˈkeɪpəbəl/ ●○○ AWL adjective 
He seemed incapable of understanding how she felt. Seventy-five percent of the electorate believe his party is incapable of government. The stroke rendered her incapable of speech.—incapability /ɪnˌkeɪpəˈbɪləti/ noun [uncountable]GRAMMARSomeone is incapable of doing something: · He is incapable of lying. ✗Don’t say: He is incapable to lie.Grammar guide ‒ ADJECTIVES
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- But it certainly undermines the idea that gay men, as men, are biologically incapable of restraint.
- Marge was incapable of sensing anything, Tom thought.
- Must we then conclude that the Zande are in these terms irrational, incapable of rational, cause-and-effect reasoning?
- She was incoherent and incapable of unassisted movement.
- Some analysts express concern that the new systems will be less secure and incapable of doing donkey work like batch processing.
- The schools, in fact, seemed almost incapable of self-governance or self-reform.
- Utterly without designs, equipment, opportunities, he felt incapable of despair.
Longman Language Activatorto be unable to do something
· "Will you help me move this?" "I'm sorry, I can't - my back's still giving me trouble."can't/cannot do something · Louise can't see anything without her glasses.· He couldn't remember where he had left the car.· I could never have climbed that ridge - I'm too out of shape.· Scientists still cannot explain exactly how the virus reproduces.· Sarah could not understand why anyone would want to hurt her.
- use this especially in the past or future tense: · Unfortunately, I wasn't able to help them.· I'm afraid I won't be able to come to the meeting after all.· The doctor told Tina she wouldn't be able to have children.· I've looked all over the house but I haven't been able to find my keys anywhere.
especially written to not be able to do something, especially something important that you want to do or need to do: · He lay awake all night, unable to sleep.· The surgery left her unable to walk for nearly three months.
the fact that someone is unable to do something, used especially when you are annoyed with them because you think they are too weak, lazy etc to do it: · Her actions show an inability to distinguish between fantasy and reality.somebody's inability to do something: · He even blamed his parents for his inability to make friends.· Voters are becoming frustrated at the inability of the administration to do anything about the debt crisis.
to not have the physical or mental ability to do something - often used when you are criticizing someone: be incapable/not be capable of: · Matthew seemed to be incapable of keeping a job.· She's no longer capable of taking care of herself.· Nero was a cruel man, utterly incapable of pity or sympathy.
informal to not be able to do something because you do not have enough knowledge, money, or authority: · I'm afraid I'm not in a position to answer your questions.· Local school boards are in no position to pay for the extra cost of the curriculum.scarcely/hardly in a position to do something: · The US is hardly in a position to criticize other countries for wasting energy supplies.
to be unable to do something because you do not have the right training or experience: not be equipped/be ill-equipped to do something: · The young teacher wasn't equipped to deal with such a difficult class.· The organization is ill-equipped to deal with the problems it may encounter.not be equipped/be ill-equipped for: · After so many years in prison, Victor was not equipped for life on the outside.
to be unable to do something, especially something practical, because you have not learned how to do it: · I didn't know how to drive a car till I was 28.· A lot of the doctors here still don't know how to use the new equipment.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The stroke rendered her incapable of speech.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
The stroke rendered her incapable of speech.· She remained rigidly immobile, suddenly quite incapable of moving anyway.· By their very nature they are quite incapable of any such thing.· In fact, every inch of her was quite incapable of movement.· The latter they were quite incapable of pronouncing correctly, even when sober.· It meant she could answer without thinking, which was an infinite mercy, for suddenly she was quite incapable of thinking.
· Flitting from one flower to the next, whichever looked the most tempting, but totally incapable of feeling any real passion.· George Cunningham, who have already proved themselves totally incapable of any future viability by already losing by an embarrassing margin.· The blood rushed to her head, making her dizzy and totally incapable of finding anything snappy to retort.
WORD FAMILYnouncapability ≠ incapabilityadjectivecapable ≠ incapableadverbcapably
[not before noun] not able to do something OPP capableincapable of He seemed incapable of understanding how she felt. Seventy-five percent of the electorate believe his party is incapable of government. The stroke rendered her incapable of speech.—incapability /ɪnˌkeɪpəˈbɪləti/ noun [uncountable]GRAMMARSomeone is incapable of doing something: · He is incapable of lying. ✗Don’t say: He is incapable to lie.Grammar guide ‒ ADJECTIVES