inoperable

adj

"inoperable" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“inoperable” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #38,908 in English word frequency and used as an adjective.

#38,908
frequency rank, English
10
letters
15
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Incapable of being successfully operated on.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

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

inoperable vs intolerable
82% similar

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

Key facts for inoperable
PropertyValue
Headwordinoperable
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
Letters10
Frequency rank#38,908
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “inoperable” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). inoperable lands here:

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

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for inoperable is 10 letters long, classified as an adjective. Corpus data places it at rank #38,908 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 2 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for inoperable, with forms such as "innoperable", "inoeprable", and "inopearble". 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 1 confusable-pair relationship, "intolerable", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From in- + operable. The correct English form is inoperable, spelled I-N-O-P-E-R-A-B-L-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Incapable of being successfully operated on.
  2. 2
    Incapable of operation or function; inoperative.

Etymology

From in- + operable.

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: innoperable,inoeprable,inopearble,inoperabble,inoperabel,inoperablle,inoperalbe,inoperbale,inoperible,inoperrable,inopperable,inopreable,inpoerable,ionperable,nioperable

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

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

innoperable1inoeprable2inopearble2inoperabble1inoperabel2inoperablle1inoperalbe2inoperbale2
Edit distance from "inoperable"

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 "inoperable"?
"inoperable" is spelled I-N-O-P-E-R-A-B-L-E.
What does "inoperable" mean?
As an adjective, "inoperable" means: Incapable of being successfully operated on.
What words are commonly confused with "inoperable"?
"inoperable" is commonly confused with "intolerable". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
What is the origin of the word "inoperable"?
From in- + operable. 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.

Using “inoperable”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is I-N-O-P-E-R-A-B-L-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Don't mix it up with “intolerable” - see the side-by-side comparison. inoperable vs intolerable
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list