usability

noun

us·​abil·​i·​ty ˌyü-zə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

: the quality or state of being usable : ease of use

When netbooks arrived a couple of years ago, they were so tiny, only spider monkeys would find them usable. But as they've inched up in size and usability, their sales have taken off.

—David Pogue

One of the other great problems of computer software is preoccupation with bells and whistles, rather than usability. Even software that began as easily usable can evolve over time into something so burdened with complicated (and trivial) features that it is a challenge to figure out how to do the simplest thing.

—Thomas Sowell

Examples of usability in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Designed for both security and usability, Windows 11 Pro includes support for biometric logins, BitLocker encryption, Snap Layouts, and virtualization tools like Hyper-V. —PC Magazine, 13 Sep. 2025

Some donations don’t meet health, safety, or usability standards. —Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2025

As fraud continues to rise, this balance between usability and protection becomes increasingly difficult to maintain. —Andrew Riabchuk, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025

When a company invests deeply in technology while never losing sight of usability, the result is a professional and approachable tool. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for usability

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