as in qualified
having the required skills for an acceptable level of performance
looking for an able and reliable assistant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 able
Firefighters haven't been able to enter the building and are instead fighting the blaze from outside.
—
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Imagine if the car is involved in a serious crash or there’s a major obstruction in the road that passengers otherwise may not be able to see, Advocates suggested.
—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
22 June 2026
Through the fantastical nature of this story and the original nature of the omniscient narrator Ahmad is able to continually surprise.
—
Literary Hub,
22 June 2026
Because of his vision, countless musicians were able to reach hearts across the planet.
—
Charlie Carballo,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for able
ABC News,
22 June 2026
Imagine if the car is involved in a serious crash or there’s a major obstruction in the road that passengers otherwise may not be able to see, Advocates suggested.
—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
22 June 2026
Through the fantastical nature of this story and the original nature of the omniscient narrator Ahmad is able to continually surprise.
—
Literary Hub,
22 June 2026
Because of his vision, countless musicians were able to reach hearts across the planet.
—
Charlie Carballo,
USA Today,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for able
Recent Examples of Synonyms for able
Adjective
-
Tarkanian’s last four 49er teams qualified for the NCAA Tournament and his 1971 team came within inches of the Final Four, losing to UCLA, 57-55.
-
For example, regular brokerage accounts, savings accounts and other investment vehicles that are not considered qualified retirement plans will generally not receive the same bankruptcy exemptions.
Adjective
-
For anyone venturing off-the-grid or out deep in nature, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a top contender as a rugged, adventure-suitable wearable.
-
Package details vary by line and ship, and some plans are suitable only for messaging or browsing, while others allow streaming or video calls.
Adjective
-
That window is shorter than most executives assume, as mental and physical declines often begin earlier than midlife, while the leader still feels fully capable and engaged.
-
The lower the number, the brighter the object, with the human eye capable of spotting targets down to a magnitude of +6 from a dark sky location.
Adjective
-
The humor came from watching competent people freeze, hedge and stop trying because the target kept moving.
-
About a month ago, a psychologist found that McGuire was competent.
Adjective
-
Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson just stopped Haiti's best opportunity to score all night, on a corner kick that found the head of Haiti's Ade and deflected backward on an angle directly into the goal.
-
The Marlins improve to 38-38 and are an MLB-best 12-4 in June.
Cite this Entry
“Able.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/able. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
