mobility

noun

mo·​bil·​i·​ty mō-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce mobility (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being mobile or movable
… its efforts were supported by the cavalry which … compensated for the infantry's lack of mobility.R. M. Ogorkiewicz
… it becomes cost-effective and socially advantageous to provide urban mobility by means of metros: urban rail mass transit systems on exclusive rights-of-way.Michael A Niedzielski et al.
: ability or capacity to move
… the physical challenges of vision loss, hearing loss, and reduced mobility.Vicki Bloom and Benjamin B. Green-Field
When large doses of steroids restored mobility, they also created irritability, insatiable appetite, and facial hair …Whitney Scott
2
: the ability to change one's social or socioeconomic position in a community and especially to improve it
A large body of academic research shows that inequality and lack of social mobility hurt not just those at the bottom; they hurt everyone.Rana Foroohar
The mythology of the American Dream has made it difficult to start a serious conversation about how to create more opportunity in our society, since many of us still believe that our mobility is the result of our elbow grease and nothing more.Rana Foroohar
see also upward mobility

Examples of mobility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Coco the German shepherd was napping on the couch when her owner noticed her hind legs—which have lost most of their mobility—start to twitch. Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 1 Jan. 2025 Michael Teo Van Runkle is a journalist who covers the evolving world of mobility at all levels. Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024 Research shows street vendors would contribute profits to their masters, but retained some for their own social mobility, according to research from the University of Chicago. Luis Giraldo, CBS News, 31 Dec. 2024 Each of the Petersons has different vertebrae that are impacted, leading to different amounts of mobility: Kelly is completely paralyzed from the waist down, with some feeling in parts of her upper legs and thighs; Hadley and Larry both have movement in their legs. Susan Young, People.com, 30 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for mobility 

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mobility was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mobility

Cite this Entry

“Mobility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mobility. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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