capability

noun

ca·​pa·​bil·​i·​ty ˌkā-pə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce capability (audio)
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

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
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.
Hewlett-Packard Enterprise recently announced similar capabilities for its B10000 Alletra storage systems. Steve McDowell, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025 But those rules became even stricter under Trump and barred Nvidia from selling the chips in China, even after the company pared down their capabilities. Kevin Ryan, Quartz, 19 May 2025 The bank said the disruptions in search traffic are likely to become permanent as Google integrates full artificial intelligence search capabilities. Michelle Fox, CNBC, 19 May 2025 While Washington demands a total halt to Iran's enrichment capabilities, Tehran is vowing to continue its program regardless of any agreement. Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for capability

Word History

Etymology

see capable

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of capability was in 1587

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Capability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capability. Accessed 28 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on capability

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!