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

Conservative influencers, among others, blasted the turnabout and questioned Bondi’s capability. —ABC News, 3 Apr. 2026

In an Unzipped blog post, the company emphasized how AI gives individuals access to capabilities that would normally require specialized skills and training. —Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 3 Apr. 2026

The joint campaign has focused intensely on destroying and degrading Iran's missile defenses, but Tehran has retained the capability to hit back across the region. —Mosheh Gains, NBC news, 3 Apr. 2026

There will always be room for humans in a cyberattack using AI, said Joe Lin, co-founder and CEO of Twenty, a firm that sells offensive cyber capabilities to the US government. —Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 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