able-bodied

adjective

able-bod·​ied ˌā-bəl-ˈbä-dēd How to pronounce able-bodied (audio)
: having a sound strong body

Examples of able-bodied in a Sentence

every able-bodied young man in the village had been sent off to fight in the war
Recent Examples on the Web Between all that effort, service dogs fit into the life of their person in a way that many able-bodied dog owners want their pets to fit into theirs. Brian Hare, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2024 Adding more depth to a narrative originally written for white, able-bodied actors, Leon’s choice to cast deaf actor John McGinty as milkman Howie Newsome and Black actors in the production further showcase how timeless and universal Wilder’s words are. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 11 Oct. 2024 Part of the challenge in para-athletics is finding a way to modify a sport to an athlete whereas an able-bodied competitor conforms to the sport. Maggie Menderski, The Courier-Journal, 3 Oct. 2024 Without a waiver, able-bodied adults would have to work at least 20 hours a week or spend the equivalent amount of time in a workforce development program. Christen Smith | The Center Square, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for able-bodied 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'able-bodied.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1600, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of able-bodied was in 1600

Dictionary Entries Near able-bodied

Cite this Entry

“Able-bodied.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/able-bodied. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

able-bodied

adjective
able-bod·​ied
ˌā-bəl-ˈbäd-ēd
: having a healthy strong body : physically fit

More from Merriam-Webster on able-bodied

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