capability
Americannoun
plural
capabilities-
the quality of being capable; capacity; ability.
His capability was unquestionable.
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the ability to undergo or be affected by a given treatment or action.
the capability of glass in resisting heat.
-
Usually capabilities. qualities, abilities, features, etc., that can be used or developed; potential.
Though dilapidated, the house has great capabilities.
noun
-
the quality of being capable; ability
-
the quality of being susceptible to the use or treatment indicated
the capability of a metal to be fused
-
(usually plural) a characteristic that may be developed; potential aptitude
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
How does capability compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A capability is something a person or a thing is able to do. It's hard to find a cell phone that doesn't include other capabilities, like taking pictures or storing MP3s. Inside the word capability is the word ability. Note the fine distinction between them. If you have an ability, it means you know how to do something. If you have a capability, it means you have the power to do something. Buying uranium gives a country the capability of making nuclear weapons, but first they need scientists with the ability to do the work.
Vocabulary lists containing capability
"The Declaration of Sentiments" (1848)
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Vocabulary from texts about Colin Powell
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President Obama's Speech at Hiroshima
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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.
Embassy in Tallinn calling the purchase “one of the most significant capability upgrades in Estonian military history.”
From Slate • Apr. 24, 2026
"English is a colonial language, not a measure of intelligence, capability, or national progress," wrote Hopewell Chin'ono, a Zimbabwean journalist.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
This capability is important for many everyday technologies.
From Science Daily • Apr. 21, 2026
Sigtermans, the head of product at a venture studio in the Netherlands, paid €68,000 in 2019 for a Model 3 Performance, and an additional €6,400 for the upgraded Full Self-Driving capability.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
That is far beyond our capability and will probably be so for a very long period of time.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
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.
