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

There are three core capabilities that contribute to the ability to influence decision-making and change, empowering you to leverage this powerful skill in your professional journey: 1. —Heather V. MacArthur, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

But judging episodic memory capabilities is more difficult when there’s a pretty obvious communication barrier between adults and a bunch of babies. —Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 21 Mar. 2025

Plans to establish commercial capabilities are underway. —Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 20 Mar. 2025

While Google’s Pixel phones have won over some customers with their artificial intelligence capabilities and integration with Google services, the devices have never made a significant dent in the premium segment dominated by Apple and Samsung Electronics Co. —Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see capable

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing capability

• nuclear capability

Rhymes for capability

• affability
• audibility
• bistability
• changeability
• contractility
• credibility
• culpability
• disability
• disutility
• durability
• fallibility
• feasibility