ability

noun abil·i·ty \ ə-ˈbi-lə-tē \

|Updated on: 16 Aug 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: ability in a Sentence

Definition of ability

plural abilities

1 a : the quality or state of being able

the ability of the soil to hold water

; especially : physical, mental, or legal power to do something

a writer's ability to engage the reader's interest

did the work to the best of her ability [=as well as she could]

b : competence in doing something : skill

artistic abilities

2 : natural aptitude or acquired proficiency

students with different abilities

See ability defined for English-language learners

See ability defined for kids

Examples of ability in a Sentence

a young woman with many remarkable musical abilities
a young woman of great musical ability
She has shown some ability with foreign languages.

Recent Examples of ability from the Web

Fitbit devices only store data for a week unless backed up to a computer, further complicating the ability to consider long term data when trying to assess if an irregular heart rhythm is a consistent problem over time.

— jordyn hermani, Indianapolis Star, "Fishers teen discovers she has heart defect after wearing Fitbit," 14 July 2018
Foxes, snakes, birds, chickens, monkeys, cougars, and coyotes have all shown the ability to live in cities.

— aditi shrikant, BostonGlobe.com, "When wild animals urbanize," 13 July 2018
The advantage to playing a major market and being one of the league's marquee teams is the ability to manufacture momentum almost immediately.

— andrew sharp, SI.com, "Kevin Knox, Wendell Carter Jr., and Midsummer Hope for the Knicks and Bulls," 13 July 2018
Gary topped college football guru Bruce Feldman’s annual list of players with outstanding physical abilities.

— orion sang, Detroit Free Press, "Michigan's Rashan Gary named college football's biggest athletic freak," 13 July 2018
Zaid said Kushner now faces significant constraints without the ability to view highly sensitive intelligence information.

— carol d. leonnig, Anchorage Daily News, "Limits still remain on security clearance for Trump son-in-law Kushner," 13 July 2018
This magic spray has been around for decades and appears to have incredible restorative abilities.

— pete grathoff, kansascity, "Just what is in that ‘magic spray’ trainers use at the World Cup?," 13 July 2018
Navajo Nation officials warn that feral horses have overpopulated the reservation beyond the ecosystem’s ability to support them and have attempted at least once to forcibly reduce the population.

— alex devoid, azcentral, "Volunteers care for Navajo wild horses during drought, despite overpopulation concerns," 13 July 2018
For example, Casanova and others have found more than a dozen mutations that disrupt the body's ability to battle non-TB mycobacteria, and all of them mess with interferon gamma—a key immune system activator.

— claudia wallis, Scientific American, "Extreme Flu? Weird Encephalitis? It May Be Your Genes," 13 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ability.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of ability

Middle English ablete, abilite, habilite "suitability, proficiency, ability," borrowed from Anglo-French abilité, borrowed from Latin habilitāt-, habilitās "aptitude," from habilis "easy to handle, adaptable, fit" + -tāt-, -tās -ty — more at able

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

ability Synonyms

-ability

noun suffix

variants: or less commonly -ibility

Definition of -ability

: capacity, fitness, or tendency to act or be acted on in a (specified) way

agglutinability

Origin and Etymology of -ability

Middle English -ablete, -abilite, -iblete, -ibilite, borrowed from Anglo-French -ableté, -abilité, -ibleté, -ibilité, borrowed from Latin -abilitās, -ibilitās, from -abilis, -ibilis -able + -tās -ty

ABILITY Defined for English Language Learners

-ability

noun suffix

Definition of -ability for English Language Learners

: ability, fitness, or likeliness to act or be acted on in (such) a way

ABILITY Defined for Kids

ability

noun abil·i·ty \ ə-ˈbi-lə-tē \

Definition of ability for Students

plural abilities

1 : power to do something

The cleaner has the ability to kill germs.

2 : natural talent or acquired skill

great musical ability

Synonym Discussion of ability

ability and talent mean physical or mental power to do or accomplish something. ability may be used of an inborn power to do something especially well.