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Synonyms

capability

American  
[key-puh-bil-i-tee] / ˌkeɪ pəˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

capabilities
  1. the quality of being capable; capacity; ability.

    His capability was unquestionable.

  2. the ability to undergo or be affected by a given treatment or action.

    the capability of glass in resisting heat.

  3. Usually capabilities. qualities, abilities, features, etc., that can be used or developed; potential.

    Though dilapidated, the house has great capabilities.


capability British  
/ ˌkeɪpəˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

  1. the quality of being capable; ability

  2. the quality of being susceptible to the use or treatment indicated

    the capability of a metal to be fused

  3. (usually plural) a characteristic that may be developed; potential aptitude

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • overcapability noun
  • supercapability noun

Etymology

Origin of capability

First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French capabilité, from Late Latin capābili(s) capable + -ty 2

Compare meaning

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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.

Moving from reliance on U.S. defense to a more self-sufficient position requires significant increases in military spending, joint procurement, intelligence capabilities and logistics.

From MarketWatch

Both said their new models understand visual data better than their predecessors and have enhanced reasoning capabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal

Breaker is trying to take advantage of surging demand for defense tech and a global focus on sovereign capability, Co-Chief Executive Michael Irwin said.

From The Wall Street Journal

"For India, this is about more than technology, it is about economic transformation, digital sovereignty and building capability at scale," said Rajan Anandan, managing director at one of India's biggest tech investors Peak XV.

From BBC

You may have heard about tools designed for vibe coding, like Claude Code, which offer many more features and capabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal