capable

American

[key-puh-buhl] / ˈkeɪ pə bəl /

adjective

having power and ability; efficient; competent.

a capable instructor.

Synonyms:

accomplished, ingenious, skillful

idioms

capable of,
1. having the ability or capacity for.
  
  a man capable of judging art.
2. open to the influence or effect of; susceptible of.
  
  a situation capable of improvement.
3. predisposed to; inclined to.
  
  capable of murder.

capable British

/ ˈkeɪpəbəl /

adjective

having ability, esp in many different fields; competent
able or having the skill (to do something)

she is capable of hard work
having the temperament or inclination (to do something)

he seemed capable of murder

"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

Related Words

See able.

Other Word Forms

capableness noun
capably adverb
overcapable adjective
quasi-capable adjective
quasi-capably adverb
supercapable adjective
supercapableness noun
supercapably adverb

Etymology

Origin of capable

First recorded in 1555–65; from Late Latin capābilis “intelligent, understandable,” apparently equivalent to cap(āx) “competent, fit, roomy” ( capacity ) + -ābilis able

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.

It will also make chips optimized for use in space, where SpaceX is planning to deploy massive numbers of satellites capable of handling AI computing tasks.

From The Wall Street Journal

"We are perfectly capable of protecting this country and keeping this country safe, whether it's here at home, or whether it's our assets and nationals across the region," he told Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

From BBC

"We have together formed a very capable and credible battle group."

From BBC

The Missoula warehouse is one of the first delivery stations to test an off-road capable delivery vehicle, the Ford truck driven by Norton.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, Everton are now seventh and only two points behind Chelsea, part of a group of sides capable of leapfrogging the struggling giants with seven matches left to play this season.

From BBC

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