ability

noun

ə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce ability (audio)
Definition of abilitynext
as in capability
the physical or mental power to do something as a result of the accident the once-vigorous athlete lost the ability to walk

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of ability The Supreme Court already handed Trump nearly absolute power over the Justice Department in a 2024 ruling regarding presidential immunity — including the ability to have conversations about criminal cases and other enforcement actions. — Carrie Johnson, NPR, 12 Mar. 2025 But human physicians can also be overconfident in their reasoning abilities, and may wrongly ignore correct diagnoses offered by patients, non-physician health workers or AI systems. — Paul Hsieh, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025 Read More: How Climate Change Will Affect the Seasons The firings, which are expected to continue in the coming days, have sparked outrage among experts and lawmakers, who warn that such cuts could severely hamper NOAA's ability to respond to the increasing severity of weather events. — Nik Popli, TIME, 28 Feb. 2025 That means Aiden has a slightly larger window of time than most children, but his disease is still progressing and stealing his abilities from him. — Taylor Grothe, Parents, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ability
  1. capability
  2. capacity
  3. faculty
  4. skill
  5. talent
  6. aptitude
Noun
  • The robot is designed with high flexibility at the waist, 320° of rotation capability, and hollow joint wiring for a lightweight design with high durability and reliability.
    — Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025
  • This week, the European Commission proposed measures for fiscal flexibility on defense spending and a plan to borrow 150 billion euros ($163 billions) to lend to EU governments for Europe-wide defense capabilities, including artillery systems, missiles and anti-drone systems.
    — Ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of capability
Noun
  • Multiple customers have praised the bag’s capacity in their reviews.
    — Taylor Jean Stephan, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The company continues to focus on expanding its production capacity and developing new products to meet market demand for high-performance semiconductor substrates.
    — Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of capacity
Noun
  • Juilliard faculty visit to give private lessons, too, but WHIN is the opposite of an elite arts hothouse for budding virtuosos; the school charges no tuition, admits students by lottery, holds no auditions, and treats music neither as a frill nor a career path but as a fundamental pedagogical tool.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 13 Mar. 2025
  • At Vanderbilt University, faculty were sent an email on February 6 instructing them to reduce graduate admissions by half across the board, according to Stat.
    — Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of faculty
Noun
  • Meghan Markle may host a series that shows off her skills in the kitchen, but apparently her husband Prince Harry isn’t a bad cook, either.
    — Erin Hill, People.com, 9 Mar. 2025
  • With the rise of the gig economy and digital platforms, turning your existing skills into a profitable side hustle has never been easier, or more necessary.
    — Melissa Houston, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of skill
Noun
  • The Sweden international’s talent has never been in question but those who have worked with the Newcastle striker describe a unique, complex personality — someone who is ridiculously driven, yet can be laid-back and withdrawn, all at once.
    — Chris Waugh, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Just how far would two undiscovered Canadian musicians go to book a show at the Rivoli, a Toronto club (and sometime music venue) best known for helping to launch comedy talents like Kids in the Hall back in the day?
    — Peter Debruge, Variety, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of talent
Noun
  • This is different from notions of strengths and weaknesses, personality, aptitude or things like that.
    — Michael B. Horn, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
  • So having that mental aptitude to learn and pick up schemes could help a good and creative coach get a ton out of him.
    — Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of aptitude

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“Ability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ability. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ability

Nglish: Translation of ability for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ability

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