stable
1 Americannoun
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stables
plural
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a building for the lodging and feeding of horses, cattle, etc.
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such a building with stalls.
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a collection of animals housed in such a building.
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Horse Racing.
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an establishment where racehorses are kept and trained.
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the horses belonging to, or the persons connected with, such an establishment.
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Informal.
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a number of people, usually in the same profession, who are employed, trained, or represented by the same company, agency, manager, etc..
a comedy show with a large stable of writers.
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the establishment that trains or manages such a group of people.
two boxers from the same stable.
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a collection of items produced by or belonging to an establishment, industry, profession, or the like.
The American auto industry has some new small cars in its stable.
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verb (used with object)
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stables,
present (3rd person singular)
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stabled,
past participle, past
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stabling
present participle
verb (used without object)
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stables,
present (3rd person singular)
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stabled,
past participle, past
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stabling
present participle
adjective
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not likely to fall or give way, as a structure, support, foundation, etc.; firm; steady.
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able or likely to continue or last; firmly established; enduring or permanent.
a stable government.
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resistant to sudden change or deterioration.
A stable economy is the aim of every government.
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steadfast; not wavering or changeable, as in character or purpose; dependable.
- Synonyms:
- steady, reliable, constant, staunch, invariable
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not subject to emotional instability or illness; sane; mentally sound.
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Physics. having the ability to react to a disturbing force by maintaining or reestablishing position, form, etc.
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Chemistry. not readily decomposing, as a compound; resisting molecular or chemical change.
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(of a patient's condition) exhibiting no significant change.
noun
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a building, usually consisting of stalls, for the lodging of horses or other livestock
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the animals lodged in such a building, collectively
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the racehorses belonging to a particular establishment or owner
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the establishment itself
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( as modifier )
stable companion
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informal a source of training, such as a school, theatre, etc
the two athletes were out of the same stable
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a number of people considered as a source of a particular talent
a stable of writers
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(modifier) of, relating to, or suitable for a stable
stable manners
verb
adjective
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steady in position or balance; firm
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lasting or permanent
a stable relationship
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steadfast or firm of purpose
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(of an elementary particle, atomic nucleus, etc) not undergoing decay; not radioactive
a stable nuclide
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(of a chemical compound) not readily partaking in a chemical change
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(of electronic equipment) with no tendency to self-oscillation
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Not susceptible to a process of decay, such as radioactivity. For example, the most common isotope of carbon, carbon 12, is stable. Protons and photons are examples of stable subatomic particles.
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See more at decay
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Relating to a chemical compound that does not easily decompose or change into other compounds. Water is an example of a stable compound.
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Relating to an atom or chemical element that is unlikely to share electrons with another atom or element.
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Not likely to change significantly or to deteriorate suddenly, as an individual's medical condition.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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stablesimple
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stablessimple
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have stabledperfect
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has stabledperfect
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am stablingprogressive
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are stablingprogressive
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is stablingprogressive
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have been stablingperfect progressive
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has been stablingperfect progressive
Past
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stabledsimple
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had stabledperfect
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was stablingprogressive
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were stablingprogressive
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had been stablingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of stable1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English stable, stabel(e), from Old French estable, from Latin stabulum “stall; shed,” equivalent to sta-, stem of stāre “to stand” + -bulum noun suffix denoting place; see origin at stand
Origin of stable2
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English stable, stabel(e), from Old French estable, stable, from Latin stabilis stabile
Explanation
When something is stable, it's fixed and steady. If you needed advice, you'd probably go to your most stable friend, the one least likely to act crazy or be easily upset. Whether you're talking about an object or a person, the adjective stable implies reliability and strength. You can describe a government as stable, or a relationship, or a desk. A completely different meaning of stable is the noun "building used for housing horses or other animals." Both senses of the word come from the Latin stabilis, "firm or steadfast."
Vocabulary lists containing stable
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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:
NJ Transit said ridership numbers have remained relatively stable during the construction period.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
"Ancient genomes can help us understand how these pathogens affecting us today evolved. We find that unlike the smallpox virus, the sheeppox virus genome was very stable over the last few millennia."
From Science Daily ● Nov. 11, 2026
Generally speaking, low-volatility stocks may be “a little bit more stable when the market gets more jittery,” said Zaccarelli.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 11, 2026
The vast majority of them - 24 - were discharged after treatment, while three people were still in hospital as of Monday in stable condition.
From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2026
They’d found separate places to change clothes in the stable before heading into the market, and now he was wearing a plain brown kaftan instead of the white one befitting a servant of the temple.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Spending time with Juni and a cast of new friends at the stables was physically and emotionally therapeutic for Hanawalt, particularly as new issues began to sneak up on her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 21, 2026
Over the years, he added horse stables and a lavish guesthouse.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
By late October, a large share of New York City’s 38,000 horses were confined to their stables, leading the New York Herald to declare, “Manhattan Island Turned Into a Vast Horse Hospital.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Included were proposals to create an enclosure for the animals, stables, three shepherd huts, parking for tractors and a pond.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
The bikes were hidden in her abandoned stables beneath twenty-year-old hay.
From "Code Name Verity" by Elizabeth Wein
Again and again we have seen QBs miserable in one location move on to thrive with a stabler team and coaching staff.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
This new object is another with a very elliptical orbit, but it is stabler than 2017 OF201, which suggests that no large planet, including a hypothetical planet nine, is significantly affecting its path.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 9, 2026
For crypto hedge funds, which tend to trade on swings in price, stabler values also offer diminishing chances to profit.
From Reuters ● Sep. 6, 2022
Plus, the bond was thousands of times stabler than that of the next-strongest naturally occurring molecular suitor.
From Scientific American ● Dec. 28, 2021
But the thought flits through my mind, There have got to be stabler things than love.
From "Grendel" by John Gardner
Russell and Hawn famously have one of the stablest relationships in Hollywood, so you have to wonder how they looked at this script and thought, “Yup, that seems normal – sign us up!”
From The Guardian ● Apr. 13, 2018
It hasn't been the stablest year for MakerBot.
From The Verge ● Jul. 24, 2015
The prior studies simply targeted and featured the stablest, most educated gay couples.
From Slate ● Jun. 14, 2012
In the fickle high-risk arena of television, where admiration swiftly changes to boredom or dislike, Cronkite, "the most trusted man in America," has been the stablest on-screen presence of them all.
From Time Magazine Archive
But it so happened that Fate, whose delight it is to imperil even the stablest reputations, sent his way a South-country Brother with a gift in prayer truly appalling.
From Literary Tours in The Highlands and Islands of Scotland by Daniel Turner Holmes
At the time of the epidemic, more than 80% of the country’s 8.4 million horses were stabled on farms.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026
Afterward, EO is relocated to a farm, where he’s stabled alongside a white stallion whose privileged status doesn’t protect it from human desires and designs.
From New York Times ● Jan. 3, 2023
The 46 horses stabled in the barn are being monitored for fever and other symptoms.
From Seattle Times ● Jul. 20, 2021
Strict Covid-19 protocols are in place, and Irish-trained runners have been stabled at Haydock Racecourse.
From BBC ● Apr. 9, 2021
He showed me how he wanted the horses stabled and groomed.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
She said: "I have 12 horses to look after - four of them are elderly and require stabling most nights."
From BBC ● Nov. 22, 2023
Soon after, Churchill Downs announced it was suspending Baffert for two years through spring 2023, prohibiting the seven-time Derby winner from stabling or racing at tracks owned by Churchill Downs Inc.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 2, 2021
Oh, Laurel, owned by TSG, will get about $173 million in improvements to include a new clubhouse, stabling areas and a synthetic track.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2019
Millfield's resources are truly staggering: an equestrian centre, stabling for 50 horses, a 50-metre Olympic swimming pool, Tartan athletics track, playing fields, a putting green, an indoor tennis centre and a fencing salle.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 7, 2012
‘Beds for four, and stabling for five ponies, if that can be managed. Are you Mr. Butterbur?’
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
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