Inoperative example sentences

"Inoperative" Example Sentences

The elevator has been inoperative for three weeks and nobody seems to care.
After the storm, half the traffic lights were inoperative, which made the intersection a nightmare.
She realized the old printer was inoperative when she tried to print her boarding pass.
The contract became inoperative the moment he signed the new agreement with the competitor.
Most of the streetlights in that neighborhood are inoperative — it's basically pitch black at night.
He found the backup generator completely inoperative when the power finally went out.
Why is the website still showing that the store is inoperative if you're actually open?
The medication became inoperative after sitting in the heat for too long.
I've been trying to use that feature for weeks, but it's been inoperative since the last update.
The old heating system finally became inoperative, and we had to replace it in the middle of winter.
Once the court ruled the law inoperative, everyone just ignored it anyway.
The alarm system was inoperative the night they broke in — of course it was.
She stared at the inoperative phone, realizing she was completely cut off from the outside world.
The agreement was technically inoperative, but both sides kept pretending it still mattered.
Most of the rides at the amusement park were inoperative because of the maintenance backlog.
He discovered the safety mechanism was inoperative right before the accident happened.
The credit card reader at the checkout became inoperative, so we had to wait for the manager.
After the scandal, his entire political strategy became inoperative overnight.
The insurance policy turned out to be inoperative because of a clause nobody read.
The old equipment is still inoperative, and management keeps saying they'll fix it next quarter.
Once the deal fell through, the partnership agreement became inoperative.
The emergency exit was inoperative, which violated about fifteen different safety codes.
She felt like her brain was inoperative after pulling an all-nighter.
The water pump has been inoperative since last summer.
He realized his plan was completely inoperative the moment she said no.
The security cameras were inoperative during the theft — naturally.
The old law became inoperative when the new legislation passed.
The backup system remained inoperative throughout the entire crisis.
That whole section of the highway was inoperative due to construction.
The promise felt inoperative the moment he walked out the door.

Common Phrases

render inoperative
become inoperative
remain inoperative
inoperative condition
inoperative system
inoperative equipment
inoperative agreement
inoperative law
inoperative clause
inoperative device

Examples by Level

The machine is inoperative now.
The elevator is inoperative — we must use the stairs.

The old computer became inoperative after the power surge.
They said the system would be inoperative for two days during maintenance.

The backup generator was inoperative when we needed it most, which felt like terrible timing.
Once the court declared the regulation inoperative, everyone stopped following it immediately.

The security system had been inoperative for months, which nobody discovered until the break-in.
She realized the entire agreement was inoperative the moment the other party refused to sign.

The machinery remained inoperative throughout the crisis, rendering the contingency plan utterly useless.
What had once been a binding contract became inoperative with a single judicial ruling, leaving both parties scrambling.

The treaty, though technically inoperative, continued to haunt the negotiations like a ghost of failed diplomacy.
He understood that his carefully constructed defense was inoperative the instant she produced the email he'd forgotten about.

Examples by Scenario

🏠 Everyday Life

The washing machine has been inoperative for a week and I'm running out of clean clothes.
My neighbor's dog got out because the fence gate is inoperative — again.

💼 Workplace

The printer on the third floor is inoperative, so everyone's been using ours all morning.
The time-tracking system was inoperative yesterday, which made payroll a complete mess.

📊 Business

The supply chain became inoperative after the port closure, costing us millions in lost revenue.
Our main distribution center was inoperative for three weeks, and competitors took our market share.

🛒 Buying / Shopping

The self-checkout machines were all inoperative, so I had to wait in the regular line for twenty minutes.
The discount code turned out to be inoperative at this location — the cashier wouldn't honor it.

✈️ Travel

The airport's baggage system was inoperative, so our luggage didn't make the connection.
Half the escalators in the terminal were inoperative, making it exhausting to navigate with luggage.

📚 Education

The projector was inoperative during the presentation, so the teacher had to improvise.
The school's WiFi has been inoperative all week, which made online assignments impossible.

❤️ Relationships

After the argument, their entire communication system felt inoperative — they couldn't even look at each other.
He realized their relationship had become inoperative the moment she stopped trying to fix things.

📰 News / Politics

The government's pandemic response became inoperative once the new administration took over.
The treaty was declared inoperative by both nations, effectively ending decades of cooperation.

💻 Technology

The app was inoperative on older devices, which meant half our users couldn't access it.
The API became inoperative after the server migration, breaking every integration we'd built.

📝 Formal Writing

The clause was deemed inoperative due to constitutional concerns raised by the appellate court.
The licensing agreement became inoperative upon the company's bankruptcy filing in federal court.