Nonviable for Dummies

Nonviable is a word that we use to describe something that is not capable of surviving or living. It is usually applied to things that are unable to function or exist in a way that is necessary for their continued existence. Think about plants that have withered up and died because they didn't get enough water or sunlight. We would say that those plants are nonviable because they are no longer alive and cannot grow or thrive. But wait a minute, you might ask. Can we only use nonviable to describe living things? Absolutely not! In fact, nonviable can also be used to talk about things that are not feasible or do not have a realistic chance of success. Imagine you're trying to build a tower out of blocks, but the base is wobbling and unstable. In that case, we could say the tower is nonviable because it's not going to hold together and will likely fall down. Now, let's break it down a little more. Nonviable comes from two smaller words put together: "non-" and "viable". The prefix "non-" means "not" or "without," and when we add it to the word "viable," it changes the meaning to "not capable of living or existing." Viable, on its own, means that something is able to fulfill its intended purpose or continue living and growing. So, nonviable is the opposite, indicating that something is unable to fulfill its purpose or continue living and growing. Now, let's use a metaphor to help solidify our understanding. Imagine you have a pile of puzzle pieces and your goal is to complete the puzzle and see the final picture. Each puzzle piece is like a little part of a larger whole, just like each living thing has a function or purpose in the world. Now, if some of the puzzle pieces are missing or damaged, it becomes impossible to complete the puzzle and see the full picture, right? Those missing or damaged pieces are nonviable because they cannot contribute to the overall picture or fulfill their intended purpose in the puzzle. So, in summary, nonviable is a word we use to describe something that is not capable of surviving or living, or something that is not feasible or likely to succeed. It means that whatever it's describing cannot fulfill its intended purpose or continue to exist. Remember, just like puzzle pieces that can't complete the picture, nonviable things cannot function or prosper in the way they are supposed to.