ability
noun
power or capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, financially, etc.
ability
1 American
[uh-bil-i-tee]
/ əˈbɪl ɪ ti /
noun
-
abilities
plural
-
power or capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, financially, etc.
- Synonyms:
- dexterity, expertness, proficiency, capability
-
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.
-ability
2
American
ability
British
/ əˈbɪlɪtɪ /
noun
-
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
Synonym Usage
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.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of ability1
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
Origin of -ability2
Middle English -abilite, from French -abilité, from Latin -ābilitās (inflectional stem -ābilitāt- )
Compare meaning
How does ability compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
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.
Vocabulary lists containing ability
"Kids Are Inventors, Too"
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Workshop 1, Part 1
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 9
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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 expansion was causing problems with the ability of boards to check the quality and safety of the care and support being provided.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
The Netflix preview didn't show this playing out in detail, but did show the ability to change control between the two characters at different points.
From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026
Mom—who has inhaled every Philippa Gregory novel, and whose superpower is the ability to relate any topic back to Henry VIII’s wives—corrected him instantly: “Claude, Katherine is with a K.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Stewart said in July that her husband “lost all ability to move any part of his body” and suffered seizures and swelling in his brain.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Not only did she control living shadows, she also had the ability to become invisible.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Sanctions severely hamper individuals' abilities to carry out even routine financial transactions as any banks with ties to the US, or that conduct transactions in dollars, are expected to have to comply with the restrictions.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
Square Enix’s beloved video game series was my personal introduction to Panettiere and her acting abilities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
Other issues, such as working, depend on the individual, their abilities and their wishes, Tan said.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 17, 2026
It’s perfectly reasonable for Claude to underestimate its own abilities and assume it can’t do certain things—because until recently, it couldn’t.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 15, 2026
Unlike many new parents, she had faith in her own abilities.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
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.
