capability

noun

ca·​pa·​bil·​i·​ty ˌkā-pə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

plural capabilities

1

: the quality or state of being capable

also : ability

The mayor has demonstrated his capability to handle municipal problems.

2

: a feature or faculty capable of development : potentiality

This vacant urban district has great capabilities.

3

: the facility or potential for an indicated use or deployment

the capability of a metal to be fused

nuclear capability

Synonyms

• credentials
• goods
• qualification
• stuff

Examples of capability in a Sentence

The device has the capability of recording two television channels at once.

the nature of the tasks to which you are assigned will depend on your capabilities

Recent Examples on the Web

Could China combine TikTok’s tracking and monitoring capabilities to locate a U.S. general by following the military officer’s child lip-syncing to TikTok in the backseat? —Daniel Axelrod, Orlando Sentinel, 19 Jan. 2025

As a result of these capabilities, VPNs are frequently used in attempts to get around digital geolocation restrictions, like those on Netflix or other streaming platforms. —Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 19 Jan. 2025

Meanwhile, runway photography will also be taken on iPhones, as will close-ups using the telephoto capabilities. —Lily Templeton, WWD, 19 Jan. 2025

Digital storage and memory capability play a crucial role in modern computing, including AI. —Thomas Coughlin, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see capable

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing capability

• nuclear capability