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 of capability

• qualification
• ability
• expertise
• talent
• 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

China is building up its military and AI capabilities despite limited access to advanced computer chips. — Josh Boak, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2026

The recent live-fire drills of its Type 99B notably indicated that the Type 99B had formally entered service with PLA Army armored units and developed combat capabilities, Global Times concluded. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 20 Sep. 2026

How development slowdown talks could impact RSI A key challenge labs face — and have been facing essentially since the technology’s inception — is ensuring their safety measures advance alongside the models’ capabilities. — Kaitlyn Huamani, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2026

Our goal is for a share of the value generated by that activity to remain in Spain through strong companies, homegrown intellectual property, and innovative technological capabilities. — John Hopewell, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026

Word History

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