capability
Americannoun
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capabilities
plural
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the quality of being capable; capacity; ability.
His capability was unquestionable.
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the ability to undergo or be affected by a given treatment or action.
the capability of glass in resisting heat.
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Usually capabilities. qualities, abilities, features, etc., that can be used or developed; potential.
Though dilapidated, the house has great capabilities.
noun
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the quality of being capable; ability
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the quality of being susceptible to the use or treatment indicated
the capability of a metal to be fused
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(usually plural) a characteristic that may be developed; potential aptitude
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of capability
First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French capabilité, from Late Latin capābili(s) capable + -ty 2
Compare meaning
How does capability compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A capability is something a person or a thing is able to do. It's hard to find a cell phone that doesn't include other capabilities, like taking pictures or storing MP3s. Inside the word capability is the word ability. Note the fine distinction between them. If you have an ability, it means you know how to do something. If you have a capability, it means you have the power to do something. Buying uranium gives a country the capability of making nuclear weapons, but first they need scientists with the ability to do the work.
Vocabulary lists containing capability
"The Declaration of Sentiments" (1848)
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Vocabulary from texts about Colin Powell
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President Obama's Speech at Hiroshima
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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.
See Examples For:
But critics of fiscal devolution raise concerns about local capability, and inequalities between areas.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
While scientific experiments have been conducted on Unity, neither it nor its Delta class replacement has orbital capability.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
"The US military is establishing a capability there," Marchan said.
From Barron's ● Oct. 27, 2026
Breaking that cycle requires a deliberate effort to develop and distribute capability throughout the business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Yet the Army has the capability and the expertise to do it.
From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston
"Developing and manufacturing a complex long-acting injectable like lenacapavir at an affordable price required strong scientific capabilities and manufacturing expertise to address an urgent access need."
From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026
As part of that deal, Nvidia said it would invest $2 billion in Lumentum to support research and development, as well as the company’s manufacturing capabilities in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
These discoveries depended on the complementary capabilities of NASA's two powerful space observatories.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 2, 2026
"We need to urgently rebuild our capabilities now, or we risk leaving ourselves seriously vulnerable in the event of a major conflict," the MP said.
From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026
Other times, he asked for tea and then went on to examine the sugar bowl and the tin of milk, muttering, “The capabilities of bacteria are quite extraordinary.”
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
