What does unworkable mean?
Unworkable means unable to be worked, implemented, or operated successfully in practice. It is commonly applied to plans, proposals, contracts, systems, arrangements, and situations that cannot function effectively under real conditions. The word often suggests a fundamental problem rather than a minor inconvenience: something described as unworkable is not merely awkward or expensive but fails when put into operation. It is generally more technical and formal than unsuitable, and it differs from impractical by focusing more directly on whether something can work at all. Unworkable is especially useful in discussions of administration, business, law, engineering, and public policy, where practical feasibility matters. Although the expression can sound categorical, it often means unworkable under the circumstances, resources, or constraints currently in view; a proposal rejected as unworkable might therefore be reconsidered if those conditions change. Its negative prefix makes the contrast with workable immediately clear.
adjectiveUnable to be worked, operated, or carried out successfully in practice. It describes an idea, plan, system, or arrangement that cannot function effectively as designed.
- Unable to be worked, implemented, or operated successfully in practice.
"The committee concluded that the proposed system was technically unworkable and recommended a simpler alternative."
"Negotiators abandoned the agreement after the survey showed that several of its provisions were unworkable."
"The old machine proved too unworkable for the factory's current production process."
Unworkable is more precise than simply inconvenient: it says that an idea cannot function or succeed as designed.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does unworkable come from?
Unworkable was formed by adding the negative prefix un- to workable. The prefix descends from Old English un-, while workable combines work with the suffix -able, which ultimately derives from Latin -abilis, a form meaning able to be done or suitable. The verb work itself descends from Old English wyrcan, related to words such as worker and workshop.
How unworkable is actually used
This is primarily a formal term common in business, law, technology, and public administration. It may describe a proposal, contract, condition, arrangement, or system, and often conveys a judgment based on practical constraints rather than moral or aesthetic objections.
Easily confused with unworkable
An impractical plan involves excessive difficulty or is poorly suited to its purpose, whereas an unworkable plan cannot be carried out or operated successfully in practice.