What does incapable mean?
Incapable is an adjective meaning unable to do something, lack the power to act, or be unfit in a particular respect. Its commonest pattern is 'incapable of' followed by a gerund: a person may be incapable of lying, an injured animal may be incapable of walking, or a system may be incapable of handling heavy traffic. The word can also be used without 'of' when a specific action is named: 'She was incapable of moving.' Unlike the neutral phrase 'unable to,' 'incapable' can carry a stronger implication, sometimes suggesting a fundamental limitation or a lack of moral or emotional qualities. It is used in both formal and informal English, but is more common in formal writing and in contexts where the inadequacy is being judged seriously. The term is especially useful when describing a persistent or defining limitation rather than a temporary inability.
adjectiveLacking the ability or power to do something or to cope with a situation. It can also describe someone regarded as morally or intellectually unfit to act in a particular way.
- Lacking the ability, power, or means to do something or cope with a situation.
- Lacking the moral, intellectual, or emotional capacity to act in a particular way.
"She was incapable of ignoring the suffering of the family next door."
"The damaged engine was incapable of restarting."
"He was incapable of cruelty, even when provoked."
The word 'incapable' carries the image of being unable to take hold of a situation: it comes from the same Latin root as 'capture' and 'capacity'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does incapable come from?
Incapable entered English through French, from the Latin incapax, meaning 'not capable' or 'unable.' Latin incapacax was formed from the negative prefix in- and capax, meaning 'able to hold' or 'capable,' which is related to capere, 'to take' or 'to seize.' The same root appears in capable, capacity, captive, and capture.
Related word forms
How incapable is actually used
The phrase 'incapable of' is the usual construction, especially when followed by a gerund or an infinitive. The word can sound formal or emphatic, and in older usage it sometimes describes moral or mental unfitness.
Easily confused with incapable
Both describe a lack of ability, but 'unable' is the more general everyday term, while 'incapable' can also suggest a more fundamental or morally disqualifying limitation.
'Incapable' focuses on being unable to perform an action or meet a standard, whereas 'incompetent' more specifically implies poor performance or lack of skill.