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:
Developing that capability will require additional research, investment, and more advanced computational tools.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 8, 2026
"Tonight is about capitalising on the additional capability and capacity we've got deployed tonight," he told officers at a Fettes police station briefing.
From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026
While scientific experiments have been conducted on Unity, neither it nor its Delta class replacement has orbital capability.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
"We are delivering greater capability, choice, control, and cost efficiency for customers across our entire stack," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 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
Turbine blade specialists continue to work on improving the capabilities of this little-known technology.
From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026
One of its most important capabilities was its ability to respond quickly to sudden cosmic events.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026
Sony is also teaming up with Saudi Aramco to advance artificial-intelligence capabilities in the industrial sector by combining its sensing and AI technologies with Aramco’s extensive industrial data and operational experience.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026
By controlling how those particles come together, scientists may be able to combine their individual capabilities in new ways.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 4, 2026
He must have lacked faith in mankind’s follow-through capabilities, on the day He created flowers.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
