ability
1 Americannoun
plural
abilities-
power or capacity to do or act physically, mentally, legally, morally, financially, etc.
- Synonyms:
- dexterity, expertness, proficiency, capability
-
competence in an activity or occupation because of one's skill, training, or other qualification.
the ability to sing well.
-
abilities, talents; special skills or aptitudes.
Composing music is beyond his abilities.
noun
-
possession of the qualities required to do something; necessary skill, competence, or power
the ability to cope with a problem
-
considerable proficiency; natural capability
a man of ability
-
(plural) special talents
Related Words
Ability, faculty, talent denote qualifications or powers. Ability is a general word for power, native or acquired, enabling one to do things well: a person of great ability; ability in mathematics. Faculty denotes a natural ability for a particular kind of action: a faculty of saying what he means. Talent is often used to mean a native ability or aptitude in a special field: a talent for music or art.
Other Word Forms
- subability noun
Etymology
Origin of ability1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (h)abilite, from Middle French, from Latin habilitās “aptitude,” equivalent to habili(s) “handy” ( able ) + -tās -ty 2; replacing Middle English ablete, from Old French, from Latin, as above
Origin of -ability2
Middle English -abilite, from French -abilité, from Latin -ābilitās (inflectional stem -ābilitāt- )
Compare meaning
How does ability compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
Jacob Funk Kirkegaard of V22 Research wrote in a note Saturday that the initial operation appears designed to weaken Iran’s ability to coordinate retaliation by targeting leadership and missile infrastructure.
From Barron's
Make sure you get the hang of handling the things your partner usually does, and that institutions recognize your ability to do so.
The BBC has not been able to independently verify this - international news organisations are often refused visas to Iran which severely limits their ability to gather information about what's going on inside the country.
From BBC
But she’s also a realistic ideal, unique in her ability to wear, be and do anything – including look after herself, thanks to her karate training.
From Salon
These dynamics constrained the organization’s ability to act independently and exposed vulnerabilities within global health systems.
From Salon
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.
