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
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.
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.
But as crews venture further afield to the moon and Mars, medical evacuation would not be an option and astronauts would need to have broader medical skills and be surgically capable.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Most of these ships have the ability to launch helicopters that support boarding operations, and some are capable of marshaling commercial vessels to specific areas to hold them in place.
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
“Your mother and I know you’re capable of more than this.”
From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day
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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.