# inability vs instability

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### inability
*noun · IPA /ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti/ · frequency rank #7,931*
Lack of the ability to do something; incapability.

### instability
*noun · frequency rank #11,051*
The quality of being unstable.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/inability-vs-instability