capable

American  

[key-puh-buhl] / ˈkeɪ pə bəl /

adjective

1. having power and ability; efficient; competent.

   a capable instructor.

   Synonyms:

   accomplished, ingenious, skillful

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idioms

1. capable of,

   1. having the ability or capacity for.

      a man capable of judging art.

   2. open to the influence or effect of; susceptible of.

      a situation capable of improvement.

   3. predisposed to; inclined to.

      capable of murder.

capable British  

/ ˈkeɪpəbəl /

adjective

1. having ability, esp in many different fields; competent

2. able or having the skill (to do something)

   she is capable of hard work

3. having the temperament or inclination (to do something)

   he seemed capable of murder

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Related Words

See able.

Other Word Forms

• capableness noun
• capably adverb
• overcapable adjective
• quasi-capable adjective
• quasi-capably adverb
• supercapable adjective
• supercapableness noun
• supercapably adverb

Etymology

Origin of capable

First recorded in 1555–65; from Late Latin capābilis “intelligent, understandable,” apparently equivalent to cap(āx) “competent, fit, roomy” ( 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.

Example Sentences

HBF said local service providers needed to be capable of running GP surgeries.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

A system trained to get tangled in lies will never be as capable as one trained to engage honestly with reality.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

It’s the first European approval for the software, which is capable of doing most of the driving for Tesla owners.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

Facing that volume, Ukraine built a counterdrone industry from scratch: cheap, mass-produced interceptor drones costing $1,000 to $2,500 per unit, capable of destroying targets autonomously.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

Older children appreciate and are capable of singing complex songs, particularly those that include multiple parts and simple harmony.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• able
• accomplished
• adept
• adequate
• competent
• efficient
• experienced
• gifted
• good
• intelligent
• proficient
• qualified
• skillful
• suited
• talented