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:
Industry leaders in both countries said the capability of China’s best AI model is just months behind that of the best in the U.S.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
The company agreed to spend at least $275 million to upgrade its California network and complete its 1-gigabit service capability across its legacy Spectrum service areas within three years.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Eradicating corruption "is a matter of our capability to survive," Fedorov said, adding "we have a systemic crisis of governance."
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
We don't have the capability in the way that we should have to fight these fires.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
US officials had known that the Soviets would eventually be able to build a nuclear weapon, but the nation's top intelligence experts estimated that the Soviets' nuclear capability was still four years away.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
Several Chinese AI developers are building models with five trillion to 10 trillion parameters, a shorthand figure for a model’s capabilities.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
FRIB's specialized instruments and capabilities allowed the team to separate two distinct decay states and examine them individually.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
It also needs to have the sourcing capabilities to meet fluctuations in shoppers’ tastes.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
"The team moved with extraordinary speed to give Swift a chance to carry out more science while advancing capabilities America will need for satellite servicing in the future," Isaacman added.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Children who seemed to have escaped evacuation ran about on the grass shouting and laughing, the band struggled with music beyond its capabilities, and deck chairs still cost twopence.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
