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
List 8
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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:
Until now, observations of close interactions between stars and their planetary companions have largely emphasized either stable orbits or relatively rapid engulfment events.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 10, 2026
"Whereas now I'm stable, which is in large part due to the medication."
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
The CrossWave looks stable until you attempt to step on its tilting, woozy deck.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
Jair Bolsonaro is currently on antidepressants and is "stable," according to the latest medical reports, although his wife, Michelle, has said that the elections have made him "a bit anxious."
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Every shadow inside the stable seemed to grow longer as the seconds ticked by, moonlight trickling through gaps between the roof’s wooden planks.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
Over the years, he added horse stables and a lavish guesthouse.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
At the time, the Hollywood mogul and actress unveiled ambitious plans to dramatically overhaul the estate with a 27,000-square-foot, five-story riding facility featuring a domed roof and underground horse stables.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
The estate included "historic outbuildings, former stables, ancillary structures and formal gardens", and sat within Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, also known as the Brecon Beacons.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
The horses get five weeks of furlough every year, 24/7 attention at the stables, regular veterinary care and a day off whenever temperatures exceed 90 degrees.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026
We get to the stables and peek inside.
From "Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish" by Pablo Cartaya
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
“Whether it is stabler than we thought, or we just haven’t hit the air pocket yet, I don’t know,” he said.
From New York Times ● Mar. 16, 2023
Plus, the bond was thousands of times stabler than that of the next-strongest naturally occurring molecular suitor.
From Scientific American ● Dec. 28, 2021
Speaking in a video message, she called on them to create a "safer, stabler future" for the planet.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 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
Though the budget will be $30 million in the red this year, the sol is one of the stablest currencies in Latin America.
From Time Magazine Archive
It must be remembered, too, that the stablest colleges have been proceeding with these changes many more years than the period shown in the table.
From The Teacher Essays and Addresses on Education by Alice Freeman Palmer
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
Reincarnate, trained by Yakteen, will be the only horse regularly stabled in Southern California to run in the Derby.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2023
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
He showed me how he wanted the horses stabled and groomed.
From "Life Is So Good" by George Dawson
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
The concern was that even though there were plenty of horses, trainers and owners weren’t running them and instead using Santa Anita as a free training and stabling facility.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2017
The company was attracted to the projects, not only by the original features of the Victorian buildings, but also by the land available at the back, which was formerly used for kennels or stabling.
From BBC ● Dec. 1, 2014
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
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.
