incapable

/ɪnˈkeɪpəbl̩/

//ɪnˈkeɪpəbl̩// adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"incapable" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“incapable” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #10,867. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#10,867
frequency rank, English
2,140
“I” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Not capable (of doing something); unable.

Corpus desk

Index EN-incapable · incapable · English

incapable · rank #10,867 · 14 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #10,867
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 2,140
  • PHOTO-FINISH impulse

Nearest frequency peer: impulse (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “incapable”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “incapable” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

incapable vs incurable
78% similar
incapable vs inescapable
82% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for incapable
PropertyValue
Headwordincapable
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ɪnˈkeɪpəbl̩/
Letters9
Frequency rank#10,867
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “incapable”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).incapablelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Ticks step logarithmically, so each one marks a roughly tenfold drop in how often the word turns up. Same rarity band neighbours include “impulse” (#10,866), “Indies” (#10,868), “hydraulic” (#10,865). Among 2,140 “I” headwords, “incapable” is #10,867. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around incapable (IPA /ɪnˈkeɪpəbl̩/), anadjective. Corpus frequency is #10,867 among 2,140 “I” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for incapable, with forms such as "icnapable", "inacpable", and "incaapble". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "incurable", "inescapable", a pairing that trips writers up because the two words share enough sound or shape to blur together.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Middle French incapable, equivalent to in- + capable. The correct English form is incapable, spelled I-N-C-A-P-A-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Not capable (of doing something); unable.
  2. 2
    Not in a state to receive; not receptive; not susceptible; not able to admit.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how incapable appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. A pint glass is incapable of holding more than a pint of liquid.
  2. I consider him incapable of dishonesty.

Etymology

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

Synonyms

unablerefusing

Antonyms

capable

This word in other languages

incapaz(Español)incapable(Français)incapaz(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • icnapable
  • inacpable
  • incaapble
  • incapabble
  • incapabel
  • incapablle
  • incapalbe
  • incapbale
  • incapible
  • incappable
  • inccapable
  • incpaable
  • inncapable
  • nicapable

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of incapable - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

icnapable2inacpable2incaapble2incapabble1incapabel2incapablle1incapalbe2incapbale2
Edit distance from "incapable"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "incapable"?
"incapable" is spelled I-N-C-A-P-A-B-L-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪnˈkeɪpəbl̩/.
What does "incapable" mean?
As an adjective, "incapable" means: Not capable (of doing something); unable.
What words are commonly confused with "incapable"?
"incapable" is commonly confused with "incurable", "inescapable". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "incapable"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "incapable" is /ɪnˈkeɪpəbl̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "incapable"?
Borrowed from Middle French incapable, equivalent to in- + capable. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "incapable", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

hydraulic#10,865integrate#10,873miniature#10,888murdering#10,892

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

homosexual14 variantsNottingham14 variantssunglasses14 variantsunhealthy14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list