power or capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, financially, etc.
competence in an activity or occupation because of one's skill, training, or other qualification.
the ability to sing well.
abilities, talents; special skills or aptitudes.
Composing music is beyond his abilities.
possession of the qualities required to do something; necessary skill, competence, or power
the ability to cope with a problem
considerable proficiency; natural capability
a man of ability
(plural) special talents
Ability, faculty, talent denote qualifications or powers. Ability is a general word for power, native or acquired, enabling one to do things well: a person of great ability; ability in mathematics. Faculty denotes a natural ability for a particular kind of action: a faculty of saying what he means. Talent is often used to mean a native ability or aptitude in a special field: a talent for music or art.
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (h)abilite, from Middle French, from Latin habilitās “aptitude,” equivalent to habili(s) “handy” ( see able) + -tās -ty 2; replacing Middle English ablete, from Old French, from Latin, as above
Middle English -abilite, from French -abilité, from Latin -ābilitās (inflectional stem -ābilitāt- )
How does ability compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Ability is skill or talent. You might have the ability to blow bubbles, or sing in a falsetto, or dance the waltz. Or, just maybe, you have the ability to do all three things at once. Impressive! From the Old French ablate "expert at handling (something)," and that from the Latin habilitatem, "aptitude," comes the English ability, a noun indicating the power to act, perform, or accomplish. Capacity is similar in meaning to ability, but note that people have a capacity for doing something, and an ability to do something.
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Whether you're navigating a job interview, meeting someone for the first time, or responding to an unexpected challenge, success often depends on your ability to adjust your behavior.
From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026
Mr. Romm complicates matters further by adding quotes from other sources to Stobaeus’ selections, diluting the book’s ability to show us the anthologist’s true intent.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026
But there is no shortage of evangelists who will point to Musk's staggering ability to raise money, challenge orthodoxy and prove his doubters wrong.
From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026
Udio said it would create a new platform that would train on licensed and authorized music with artists having the ability to opt-in.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
“Yes, Your Grace. I always sense when you’re in danger, though being here has limited my ability to help you.”
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
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.
