
Inoperative
Literal Breakdown
Think of 'inoperative' as something broken down into parts that can't work together.

After the flood, all electrical appliances were inoperative.
Temporary State
'Inoperative' often indicates a temporary condition that may be fixed in the future.

The escalator is temporarily inoperative due to maintenance.
Emphasis on Inactivity
Use 'inoperative' to emphasize the lack of activity or movement in a machine or system.

With the power outage, all conveyor belts remained inoperative.
Compare with
DormantIdleIneffectivePowerProductiveUseless
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