stable
1 Americannoun
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stables
plural
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a building for the lodging and feeding of horses, cattle, etc.
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such a building with stalls.
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a collection of animals housed in such a building.
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Horse Racing.
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an establishment where racehorses are kept and trained.
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the horses belonging to, or the persons connected with, such an establishment.
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Informal.
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a number of people, usually in the same profession, who are employed, trained, or represented by the same company, agency, manager, etc..
a comedy show with a large stable of writers.
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the establishment that trains or manages such a group of people.
two boxers from the same stable.
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a collection of items produced by or belonging to an establishment, industry, profession, or the like.
The American auto industry has some new small cars in its stable.
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verb (used with object)
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stables,
present (3rd person singular)
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stabled,
past participle, past
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stabling
present participle
verb (used without object)
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stables,
present (3rd person singular)
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stabled,
past participle, past
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stabling
present participle
adjective
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not likely to fall or give way, as a structure, support, foundation, etc.; firm; steady.
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able or likely to continue or last; firmly established; enduring or permanent.
a stable government.
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resistant to sudden change or deterioration.
A stable economy is the aim of every government.
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steadfast; not wavering or changeable, as in character or purpose; dependable.
- Synonyms:
- steady, reliable, constant, staunch, invariable
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not subject to emotional instability or illness; sane; mentally sound.
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Physics. having the ability to react to a disturbing force by maintaining or reestablishing position, form, etc.
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Chemistry. not readily decomposing, as a compound; resisting molecular or chemical change.
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(of a patient's condition) exhibiting no significant change.
noun
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a building, usually consisting of stalls, for the lodging of horses or other livestock
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the animals lodged in such a building, collectively
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the racehorses belonging to a particular establishment or owner
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the establishment itself
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( as modifier )
stable companion
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informal a source of training, such as a school, theatre, etc
the two athletes were out of the same stable
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a number of people considered as a source of a particular talent
a stable of writers
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(modifier) of, relating to, or suitable for a stable
stable manners
verb
adjective
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steady in position or balance; firm
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lasting or permanent
a stable relationship
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steadfast or firm of purpose
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(of an elementary particle, atomic nucleus, etc) not undergoing decay; not radioactive
a stable nuclide
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(of a chemical compound) not readily partaking in a chemical change
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(of electronic equipment) with no tendency to self-oscillation
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Not susceptible to a process of decay, such as radioactivity. For example, the most common isotope of carbon, carbon 12, is stable. Protons and photons are examples of stable subatomic particles.
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See more at decay
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Relating to a chemical compound that does not easily decompose or change into other compounds. Water is an example of a stable compound.
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Relating to an atom or chemical element that is unlikely to share electrons with another atom or element.
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Not likely to change significantly or to deteriorate suddenly, as an individual's medical condition.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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stablesimple
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stablessimple
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have stabledperfect
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has stabledperfect
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am stablingprogressive
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are stablingprogressive
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is stablingprogressive
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have been stablingperfect progressive
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has been stablingperfect progressive
Past
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stabledsimple
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had stabledperfect
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was stablingprogressive
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were stablingprogressive
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had been stablingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of stable1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English stable, stabel(e), from Old French estable, from Latin stabulum “stall; shed,” equivalent to sta-, stem of stāre “to stand” + -bulum noun suffix denoting place; see origin at stand
Origin of stable2
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English stable, stabel(e), from Old French estable, stable, from Latin stabilis stabile
Explanation
When something is stable, it's fixed and steady. If you needed advice, you'd probably go to your most stable friend, the one least likely to act crazy or be easily upset. Whether you're talking about an object or a person, the adjective stable implies reliability and strength. You can describe a government as stable, or a relationship, or a desk. A completely different meaning of stable is the noun "building used for housing horses or other animals." Both senses of the word come from the Latin stabilis, "firm or steadfast."
Vocabulary lists containing stable
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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:
"This allows atomic nuclei to form and be stable -- which means matter, as we interact with it in the universe, can exist."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026
The Northern Health Trust said the decision for the move was to ensure a safe, stable and sustainable service and added that Causeway would continue to be an acute hospital with a 24/7 emergency department.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
He said stable exchange rates are preferable because sharp currency swings make business planning more difficult.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
The dollar has been relatively stable in 2026, its broad index against other major currencies having risen 1.6% so far this year.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
Finally, the setting sun, reddish orange, was filtering through the stable.
From "Rump: The (Fairly) True Story of Rumpelstilskin" by Liesl Shurtliff
He bought the West 37th Street stables in 1979.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Authorities also issued a warning for the equestrian stables at El Rodeo Equestrian Center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2026
He took his cockerpoo, Gulliver, for a walk in a paddock that was part of the stables, and because it was dark he used a torch.
From BBC ● Apr. 14, 2026
She is very much the queen of the stables.
From BBC ● Mar. 31, 2026
They drove new cars, vacationed at summer houses more commodious than C.P.’s tiny frame house, and kept fine stables of horses instead of a chain-link kennel with a couple of dogs inside.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
This new object is another with a very elliptical orbit, but it is stabler than 2017 OF201, which suggests that no large planet, including a hypothetical planet nine, is significantly affecting its path.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 9, 2026
For crypto hedge funds, which tend to trade on swings in price, stabler values also offer diminishing chances to profit.
From Reuters ● Sep. 6, 2022
Plus, the bond was thousands of times stabler than that of the next-strongest naturally occurring molecular suitor.
From Scientific American ● Dec. 28, 2021
Speaking in a video message, she called on them to create a "safer, stabler future" for the planet.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2021
But the thought flits through my mind, There have got to be stabler things than love.
From "Grendel" by John Gardner
Russell and Hawn famously have one of the stablest relationships in Hollywood, so you have to wonder how they looked at this script and thought, “Yup, that seems normal – sign us up!”
From The Guardian ● Apr. 13, 2018
It hasn't been the stablest year for MakerBot.
From The Verge ● Jul. 24, 2015
The prior studies simply targeted and featured the stablest, most educated gay couples.
From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2012
After 55 years of a generally prosperous "continuing revolution," Mexico has become the stablest major state in Latin America and an outspoken independent in international affairs.
From Time Magazine Archive
But it so happened that Fate, whose delight it is to imperil even the stablest reputations, sent his way a South-country Brother with a gift in prayer truly appalling.
From Literary Tours in The Highlands and Islands of Scotland by Daniel Turner Holmes
The ordinance defines these operations as any facility that includes animals stabled or confined for 45 days or more in a 12-month period.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 4, 2024
Zazou is reportedly one of two of Mr Kadyrov's horses that are still stabled in the Czech Republic.
From BBC ● Mar. 7, 2023
Afterward, EO is relocated to a farm, where he’s stabled alongside a white stallion whose privileged status doesn’t protect it from human desires and designs.
From New York Times ● Jan. 3, 2023
The 46 horses stabled in the barn are being monitored for fever and other symptoms.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 20, 2021
After we got the horses stabled and bid the Dee-troit lawmen a good night, me and the cap’n walked toward where the sheriff said we could eat cheap.
From "The Journey of Little Charlie" by Christopher Paul Curtis
Churchill Downs has suspended him for two years and the New York Racing Association has indefinitely suspended him from stabling and racing at Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 4, 2021
The concern was that even though there were plenty of horses, trainers and owners weren’t running them and instead using Santa Anita as a free training and stabling facility.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2017
"The likelihood is that, because of its location, most of the early landlords were connected with horses, carriages and stabling," writes Dailey.
From BBC ● Jan. 2, 2017
Millfield's resources are truly staggering: an equestrian centre, stabling for 50 horses, a 50-metre Olympic swimming pool, Tartan athletics track, playing fields, a putting green, an indoor tennis centre and a fencing salle.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 7, 2012
"Innkeep," a servant's voice called out behind her, "we have horses that want stabling, and my lord of Lannister requires a room and a hot bath."
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
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.
