plural facilities
Synonyms of facility
1
: the quality of being easily performed
2
: ease in performance : aptitude
has a great facility for writing
3
: readiness of compliance
4
a(1)
: something that makes an action, operation, or course of conduct easier
—usually plural
facilities for study
The resort has a wide range of facilities for young and old alike.
(2)
: lavatory sense 2
—often plural
b
: something (such as a hospital) that is built, installed, or established to serve a particular purpose

Examples of facility in a Sentence

The facilities are at the end of the corridor. He had a great facility for writing. He had great facility with words. She handled the crisis with facility.
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.
These districts can be established within a city, county or cooperative area to create economic development projects like industrial sites, research facilities, job-training centers and distribution hubs. — Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026 Crucially, structures have matured past equity into standing credit facilities. — Chris Koras, Sportico.com, 28 Sep. 2026 The company’s new v3 satellites, which are produced at a SpaceX facility in Redmond, Washington, are equipped with solar arrays that generate twice as much power as prior generations. — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2026 The Primark agreement does not finance the facility on its own, Majeranowski noted. — Rhonda Richford, Footwear News, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for facility

Word History

Etymology

Middle English facilite "gentleness," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French facilité "quality of being easily performed," borrowed from Latin facilitāt-, facilitās, from facilis "easy, facile" + -itāt-, -itās -ity

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of facility was in 1531

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Facility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/facility. Accessed 1 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

facility

noun
plural facilities
1
: freedom from difficulty : ease
handled with facility
2
: skill and ease in doing something
a great facility for writing well
3
a
: something that makes an action, operation, or activity easier
—usually used in plural
facilities for study
b
: something (as a hospital) that is put up for a particular purpose

Medical Definition

facility

noun
plural facilities
1
: the quality of being easily performed
2
: ease in performance : aptitude
3
: something (as a hospital) that is built, installed, or established to serve a particular purpose
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