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

Because Buzzfeed didn’t have the production capabilities to take the story on, NBCUniversal evp Smith paired the publication with Maxine. —Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 31 Jan. 2025

As a general rule of thumb, Adidas jackets that utilize polyester or nylon tend to boast the highest moisture-wicking capability. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 31 Jan. 2025

In 2023, the company tapped OpenAI to bring AI capabilities to its Jira and Confluence solutions. —Samantha Subin, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2025

We are committed to advancing this capability to provide reliable systems that deliver a strong ROI for our customers. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 30 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see capable

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing capability

• nuclear capability