capability
Americannoun
plural
capabilities-
the quality of being capable; capacity; ability.
His capability was unquestionable.
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the ability to undergo or be affected by a given treatment or action.
the capability of glass in resisting heat.
-
Usually capabilities. qualities, abilities, features, etc., that can be used or developed; potential.
Though dilapidated, the house has great capabilities.
noun
-
the quality of being capable; ability
-
the quality of being susceptible to the use or treatment indicated
the capability of a metal to be fused
-
(usually plural) a characteristic that may be developed; potential aptitude
Other Word Forms
- overcapability noun
- supercapability noun
Etymology
Origin of capability
First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French capabilité, from Late Latin capābili(s) capable + -ty 2
Compare meaning
How does capability compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A capability is something a person or a thing is able to do. It's hard to find a cell phone that doesn't include other capabilities, like taking pictures or storing MP3s. Inside the word capability is the word ability. Note the fine distinction between them. If you have an ability, it means you know how to do something. If you have a capability, it means you have the power to do something. Buying uranium gives a country the capability of making nuclear weapons, but first they need scientists with the ability to do the work.
Vocabulary lists containing capability
"The Declaration of Sentiments" (1848)
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Vocabulary from texts about Colin Powell
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President Obama's Speech at Hiroshima
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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.
The capability is a step beyond the shipment-tracking information widely used today, which relies on workers scanning bar codes as packages enter and leave warehouses or vehicles.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 14, 2026
Wary of China's navy build-up, US ally Australia has reshaped its defence force in recent years to focus on its missile strike capability and deterring an adversary from its northern approaches.
From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026
On Monday, Karim Khalil KC, lead prosecutor at the sentencing, said the killer's capability to plan did not alter the prosecution's judgement of the case.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
Once Kansas City police have trained counterdrone personnel and installed detection equipment for soccer matches at Arrowhead Stadium, that capability does not disappear — it becomes part of the local security apparatus.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
US officials had known that the Soviets would eventually be able to build a nuclear weapon, but the nation's top intelligence experts estimated that the Soviets' nuclear capability was still four years away.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
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.
