capability
Americannoun
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capabilities
plural
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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.
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Usually capabilities. qualities, abilities, features, etc., that can be used or developed; potential.
Though dilapidated, the house has great capabilities.
noun
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the quality of being capable; ability
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the quality of being susceptible to the use or treatment indicated
the capability of a metal to be fused
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(usually plural) a characteristic that may be developed; potential aptitude
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
See Examples For:
But due to a lack of U.S. manufacturing capacity and capability, actuation systems are also a bottleneck, Kelkar said.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026
Jason Aten, a tech columnist at Inc. magazine, reported that his Muse read and regurgitated his private messages even though he believed he had denied it that capability.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
One example of how midrange strikes helped there: Some of Russia’s electronic warfare systems run on generators, so hammering fuel logistics helped degrade this enemy capability.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Researchers at Kyoto University and Hiroshima University set out to address that missing capability.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 29, 2026
Some, like Erich Korngold, leapt enthusiastically into this new, populist role with skill and seriousness, widening the scope and capability of the film orchestra in the process.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
On the other hand, little digital companions can make AI more palatable to users, providing an entry point to show off real-world capabilities such as ordering groceries or booking reservations.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 3, 2026
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope made these observations possible because of its infrared capabilities, which allow astronomers to study galaxies as they appeared more than 13 billion years ago.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
None of the chores that Meta boasts about are beyond the capabilities of most people living in today’s digital world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
"In terms of hardware capabilities, there will definitely be an improvement," the 37-year-old told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
In our six years together, he hadn’t once doubted my instincts or my capabilities.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
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.
