capable
Americanadjective
idioms
adjective
-
having ability, esp in many different fields; competent
-
able or having the skill (to do something)
she is capable of hard work
-
having the temperament or inclination (to do something)
he seemed capable of murder
Synonym Usage
See able.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of capable
First recorded in 1555–65; from Late Latin capābilis “intelligent, understandable,” apparently equivalent to cap(āx) “competent, fit, roomy” ( see capacity) + -ābilis able
Explanation
To be capable of something is to be able to do it, like your little brother who is perfectly capable of tying his own shoes, but likes having everyone else do it for him. When people are capable, they can handle whatever task is at hand, like a capable teacher who can explain difficult concepts and make it fun. You may also have heard that someone "isn't capable" of, say, committing a crime or hurting someone's feelings. In this case, not being capable is a compliment — it means you just won't let yourself do something to violate your own standards for behavior.
Vocabulary lists containing capable
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
True believers see Musk as a visionary capable of seizing markets long before they exist, citing Tesla’s dominance in the electric-vehicle market and SpaceX’s success in the rocket-launch business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
In a statement, Lieu also cited Anthropic, OpenAI's key rival in developing more capable AI technology and tools, and recent issues its tools have presented.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
They employ all manners of external stimuli and self-optimization techniques to approach even a fraction of what your heart is naturally capable of.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Distillation is a technique in which a smaller AI model is trained to mimic the outputs of a larger, more capable one.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
“She’s a smart girl. She’s capable of so much. I just wish she understood how important it is to go to college. That she can strive to be something more than—more than...”
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
