agility

American  

[uh-jil-i-tee] / əˈdʒɪl ɪ ti /

noun

1. the power of moving quickly and easily; nimbleness.

   exercises demanding agility.

2. the ability to think and draw conclusions quickly; intellectual acuity.

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Etymology

Origin of agility

1375–1425; late Middle English agilite < Middle French < Latin agilitās. See agile, -ity

Explanation

Agility is the ability to be quick and graceful. You might have agility on the basketball court or in the courtroom, or even with your gaming remote. The noun agility can be used for both mental and physical skills in speed and grace. Your mental agility might allow you to follow both conversations at once. Or your brother's soccer prowess shows in his physical agility. The word agility does not have to be applied to human abilities, however: "The sailboat's agility in the water made it the perfect craft for racing."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

agility

In videos posted to social media, he also was captured hitting a blocking sled at UCLA, and going through speed and agility drills at the Rams’ facility in Woodland Hills.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

Now, as the world awaits Google’s next Gemini model, the tech giant will need to show that it can maneuver the AI competition with more agility than it has in the past.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026

Still, Mr. Dais says he knows students who tried Success Academy and left, and he opposes lifting the state’s cap on the number of charters, even as he acknowledges their agility.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

Youth appeal, down to listening to actual pop music and an agility with 21st century slang?

From Salon ● Jul. 29, 2026

Rather remarkably, they persuaded themselves that the animal had enjoyed "the agility and ferocity of the tiger," and portrayed it in illustrations as pouncing with feline grace onto prey from boulders.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

Related Words

• cleverness
• dexterity
• quickness
• sharpness
• swiftness