stable
1 Americannoun
-
stables
plural
-
a building for the lodging and feeding of horses, cattle, etc.
-
such a building with stalls.
-
a collection of animals housed in such a building.
-
Horse Racing.
-
an establishment where racehorses are kept and trained.
-
the horses belonging to, or the persons connected with, such an establishment.
-
-
Informal.
-
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.
-
the establishment that trains or manages such a group of people.
two boxers from the same stable.
-
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.
-
verb (used with object)
-
stables,
present (3rd person singular)
-
stabled,
past participle, past
-
stabling
present participle
verb (used without object)
-
stables,
present (3rd person singular)
-
stabled,
past participle, past
-
stabling
present participle
adjective
-
not likely to fall or give way, as a structure, support, foundation, etc.; firm; steady.
-
able or likely to continue or last; firmly established; enduring or permanent.
a stable government.
-
resistant to sudden change or deterioration.
A stable economy is the aim of every government.
-
steadfast; not wavering or changeable, as in character or purpose; dependable.
- Synonyms:
- steady, reliable, constant, staunch, invariable
-
not subject to emotional instability or illness; sane; mentally sound.
-
Physics. having the ability to react to a disturbing force by maintaining or reestablishing position, form, etc.
-
Chemistry. not readily decomposing, as a compound; resisting molecular or chemical change.
-
(of a patient's condition) exhibiting no significant change.
noun
-
a building, usually consisting of stalls, for the lodging of horses or other livestock
-
the animals lodged in such a building, collectively
-
-
the racehorses belonging to a particular establishment or owner
-
the establishment itself
-
( as modifier )
stable companion
-
-
informal a source of training, such as a school, theatre, etc
the two athletes were out of the same stable
-
a number of people considered as a source of a particular talent
a stable of writers
-
(modifier) of, relating to, or suitable for a stable
stable manners
verb
adjective
-
steady in position or balance; firm
-
lasting or permanent
a stable relationship
-
steadfast or firm of purpose
-
(of an elementary particle, atomic nucleus, etc) not undergoing decay; not radioactive
a stable nuclide
-
(of a chemical compound) not readily partaking in a chemical change
-
(of electronic equipment) with no tendency to self-oscillation
-
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.
-
See more at decay
-
Relating to a chemical compound that does not easily decompose or change into other compounds. Water is an example of a stable compound.
-
Relating to an atom or chemical element that is unlikely to share electrons with another atom or element.
-
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
-
stablesimple
-
stablessimple
-
have stabledperfect
-
has stabledperfect
-
am stablingprogressive
-
are stablingprogressive
-
is stablingprogressive
-
have been stablingperfect progressive
-
has been stablingperfect progressive
Past
-
stabledsimple
-
had stabledperfect
-
was stablingprogressive
-
were stablingprogressive
-
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
List 8
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Africa - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Africa - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
It may remain stable, or it could progress, so for now, it’s a wait-and-see situation.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 16, 2026
The 10-year Treasury yield last traded flat at 5.086%, while the 30-year yield was also stable at 5.430%, according to Tradeweb.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026
As long as macroeconomic conditions remain stable, the central bank can maintain its supportive stance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026
What the IMF says matters – it aims to keep the global economy stable and its twice-yearly forecasts are one of the most authoritative looks at what is really going on around the world.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
He has worked hard all his life, on the family farm, on the railroad, in the livery stable, and on the Chilean stagecoaches.
From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman
At the time, the Hollywood mogul and actress unveiled ambitious plans to dramatically overhaul the estate with a 27,000-square-foot, five-story riding facility featuring a domed roof and underground horse stables.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
Over the years, he added horse stables and a lavish guesthouse.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
The three stables that house the carriage horses sit on prime real estate in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
Typical livery costs, which are fees for the boarding and care of horses in stables, can be about £800 a month, according to the charity Horse Trust.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
It had once been a larger establishment, a caravanserai, with stables for horses and livestock, silos for storage, and a courtyard with a washing fountain.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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
“Whether it is stabler than we thought, or we just haven’t hit the air pocket yet, I don’t know,” he said.
From New York Times ● Mar. 16, 2023
Plus, the bond was thousands of times stabler than that of the next-strongest naturally occurring molecular suitor.
From Scientific American ● Dec. 28, 2021
The Queen has urged world leaders at the COP26 climate summit to "achieve true statesmanship" and 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
Though the budget will be $30 million in the red this year, the sol is one of the stablest currencies in Latin America.
From Time Magazine Archive
Blessed is drudgery, the homely mother of Patience, "that young and rose-lipped cherubim," of quiet endurance, of persistency in well-doing, of all the stablest elements of character.
From The Power of Womanhood, or Mothers and Sons A Book For Parents, And Those In Loco Parentis by Ellice Hopkins
At the time of the epidemic, more than 80% of the country’s 8.4 million horses were stabled on farms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Not all of the 1,500 horses stabled are eligible to race in the Kentucky Derby.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2025
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
He showed me how he wanted the horses stabled and groomed.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
It has offered to fund off-season stabling at Pleasanton and to write races that better fit the makeup of Northern California horses.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2024
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 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
Bast darted outside to see if there were horses that needed stabling.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
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.
