mobility
Americannoun
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the ability to move physically
a knee operation has restricted his mobility
mobility is part of physical education
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sociol (of individuals or social groups) movement within or between classes and occupations See also vertical mobility horizontal mobility
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time that a resident of a secure unit is allowed to spend outside the unit, as preparation for an eventual return to society
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of mobility
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English mobilite, from Latin mōbilitās. See mobile, -ity
Compare meaning
How does mobility compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Mobility is the ability to move freely. If your basketball injury causes you to lose mobility in your knee, that means you can’t move it very well. Mobility often refers to whether you can move an injured body part, like a joint or a limb, but it can also describe movement in general. If you have great mobility on the tennis court, that means you move freely and easily, running down shots with ease. Mobility can also describe movement between different social or economic levels. Your fancy new job may offer opportunities for upward mobility.
Vocabulary lists containing mobility
Human Geography - Middle School
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Human Geography - High School
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Out of My Mind
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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.
Some research suggests career mobility has worsened in recent decades.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
Shanice had also volunteered to take photographs for Zest, a community organisation providing activities for adults and children with complex mental health needs, mobility issues and long-term health conditions.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
"The genetic patterns suggest that saltwater crocodile populations remained connected over long periods and across great distances, pointing to the high mobility of this species," explains first author Stefanie Agne of the University of Potsdam.
From Science Daily • May 28, 2026
Spaeny and Melton were cast as Ashley and Austin, a Gen-Z couple working at a Montecito country club, dreaming and scheming toward upward mobility, a good 18 months before filming began in early 2025.
From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2026
José Arcadio had come to think that he had run away, when he reappeared, panting a little because of his haste, dragging legs that enclosure and lack of mobility had made weak and heavy.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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.
