stability

American  

[stuh-bil-i-tee] / stəˈbɪl ɪ ti /

noun

plural

stabilities

1. the state or quality of being stable.

2. firmness in position.

3. continuance without change; permanence.

4. Chemistry. resistance or the degree of resistance to chemical change or disintegration.

5. resistance to change, especially sudden change or deterioration.

   The stability of the economy encourages investment.

6. steadfastness; constancy, as of character or purpose.

   The job calls for a great deal of emotional stability.

   Synonyms:

   balance, solidity, poise, soundness, strength, steadiness

7. Aeronautics. the ability of an aircraft to return to its original flying position when abruptly displaced.

8. Roman Catholic Church. a vow taken by a Benedictine monk, binding him to residence for life in the same monastery in which he made the vow.

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stability British  

/ stəˈbɪlɪtɪ /

noun

1. the quality of being stable

2. the ability of an aircraft to resume its original flight path after inadvertent displacement

3. meteorol

   1. the condition of an air or water mass characterized by no upward movement

   2. the degree of susceptibility of an air mass to disturbance by convection currents

4. ecology the ability of an ecosystem to resist change

5. electrical engineering the ability of an electrical circuit to cope with changes in the operational conditions

6. a vow taken by every Benedictine monk attaching him perpetually to the monastery where he is professed

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Other Word Forms

• nonstability
  noun
• overstability
  noun
• self-stability
  noun

Etymology

Origin of stability

First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin stabilitās, from stabili(s) stable ² + -tās -ty ²; replacing late Middle English stablete, from Old French, from Latin, as above

Explanation

Stability is the quality of being unchanging. You know you should be congratulated on your commitment to stability when you’ve lived in the same place your whole life. Stability is often used to describe buildings or structures that won't collapse or fall down. Good tires will help you maintain stability on snowy or icy roads. You can use the word more figuratively for a safe environment or a healthy mental state. Financial and political stability are to be desired. Hopefully you will provide your children stability and love. When you have violent outbursts, people began to doubt your mental stability.

Example Sentences

The proposal called for AI and data centers to pay for their power and water needs, fund workforce stability initiatives and ensure human oversight of AI tools in critical sectors such as healthcare.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

However, scientists have struggled to fully understand these structures because many interacting factors are involved, including the material's microscopic structure, thermal effects, and energy stability.

From Science Daily • May 18, 2026

Since his exit, the Hammers have struggled for stability and direction.

From BBC • May 17, 2026

For minerals you could imagine the “gravel” to be atomic elements, the “bucket” to be a cosmic cloud where atoms can bind into molecules and the feature of interest being chemical stability.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

It could mean the difference between stability and poverty.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

Related Words

• balance
• cohesion
• establishment
• security
• strength
• support