Synonyms

applicability

American

[uh-plik-uh-bil-i-tee] / əˌplɪk əˈbɪl ɪ ti /

Rarely applicableness

noun

the fact or quality of applying to a certain situation or range of situations; relevance, appropriateness, or usefulness.

Each clinician should evaluate the applicability of these guidelines to their own practice and patients.

Other Word Forms

nonapplicability noun
unapplicability noun

Etymology

Origin of applicability

applic(able) ( def. ) + -ability ( def. )

Explanation

Applicability is the usefulness of something for a particular task. Hammers have great applicability for driving in nails. When something is applicable, it is suited to something or useful for a task. The applicability of a thing refers to how useful it is in a given situation. On a resume, talking about your favorite movie probably would have no applicability: it's pointless. A plunger has great applicability in a bathroom, but no applicability anywhere else. You can think of applicability as usefulness plus timeliness. If something has applicability, it will come in handy at the moment it is needed.

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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.

"We have shown this technology has broad applicability including military operations and for homeland defense," Northrop told AFP in a statement.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

The model performed well across other p tau217 based diagnostic tests beyond PrecivityAD2, supporting its reliability and broader applicability.

From Science Daily • Feb. 23, 2026

Instead, jurors will consider the potential applicability of Section 230 protections during their deliberations about the companies’ conduct.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

Estados Unidos Mexicanos thwart case-by-case determination of PLCAA’s applicability, a process that promotes careful explication of the law.

From Slate • Jun. 6, 2025

In real life, the biomedical sciences have not yet reached the stage of any kind of general applicability to disease mechanisms.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023