Unworkable Meaning
/əˈnwɜrkəbəl/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
adjNot workable.
adjNot workable., Not operable; not practical; unmanageable.
Sentence Examples
What must be done if the plan proves unworkable?
She thought the plan was good, but unworkable.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The engineer rejected the design as ____ because the bridge would collapse under its own weight.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The plan was eventually found to be ____ because it would require much more time than the team had available today.
Word Origin & History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-om Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom Proto-Germanic *werką Proto-West Germanic *werk Old English weorc Middle English werk English work Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlom Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlis Proto-Italic *-ðlis Latin -bilis Latin -ābilis Old French -ablebor. Middle English -able English -able English workable English unworkable From un- + workable.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"A Welsh Government spokesman said: "We are opposed to the approach being taken by the UK Government, which we feel is unnecessary, probably unworkable, and will do nothing to resolve industrial disputes."
— 2024 March 20, Conrad Landin, “"Farcical" Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act isn't working”, in RAIL, number 1005, page 25:
"The building of the consensus group, however, forced these interests to distinguish annoying features of the law from unworkable ones, and the list of the unworkables steadily dwindled."
— 1983, Lawrence David Brown, Politics and Health Care Organization: HMOs as Federal Policy:
"We all have some secret little hope that the unworkables will be resurrected. You haven't seen any of the occupants of the pyramids pull this off yet, nor will you see any use for old, outdated, dead office stuff."
— 2004, Don Aslett, The Office Clutter Cure, page 44:
"His effort at maintaining a casual relationship was one of the unworkables in his life. Ealy had once observed that friends may become lovers, but lovers could never be friends."
— 2011, Terry Kay, Bogmeadow's Wish, page 33:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The engineer rejected the design as ____ because the bridge would collapse under its own weight.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The plan was eventually found to be ____ because it would require much more time than the team had available today.