durability

American

[door-uh-bil-i-tee, dyoor-] / ˌdʊər əˈbɪl ɪ ti, ˌdyʊər- /

Also durableness

noun

the ability to last over time, resisting wear, breakage, deterioration, etc..

Those who own this make of car really can't complain, given the high quality, dependability, and durability of their product lines.

Other Word Forms

undurability noun
undurableness noun

Etymology

Origin of durability

First recorded in 1350–1400; Latin dūrābili(s) + -tās noun suffix; see durable ( def. ), -ty ² ( def. )

Explanation

Durability is when something lasts a long time. The durability of your favorite pair of hiking boots keeps them from wearing out even when you've walked many miles in them. Use the noun durability to describe the quality of permanence or strength that keeps something working or holds it together. Your parents' thirty year marriage has durability, and your sturdy old car that keeps on running mile after mile also has durability. The Latin root word, durabilis, means "lasting or permanent," and comes from durare, "to last or harden."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing durability

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"The Science of Breakable Things" by Tae Keller, List 5

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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.

Whether that ecosystem—and its associated jobs and tax revenue—will develop domestically or abroad depends on the durability of U.S. rules.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

He's still got the energy, the durability and the power to deal with opponents and give them problems.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026

“Because banking stocks often mirror the underlying economic environment, this weakness raises concerns about the durability of the current bull market,” he added.

From Barron's • Mar. 27, 2026

It “raises questions about the durability of H&M’s brand re-engagement, particularly as the ‘test’ of new season product was expected to come from March onwards,” they said.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

Such views enjoyed an improbable durability and could be found repeated or echoed in European texts till near the end of the nineteenth century.

From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson

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