facility

noun

fa·​cil·​i·​ty fə-ˈsi-lə-tē 

plural facilities

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 used in plural

facilities for study

The resort has a wide range of facilities for young and old alike.

(2)

: lavatory sense 2

—often used in plural

b

: something (such as a hospital) that is built, installed, or established to serve a particular purpose

Synonyms of facility

• institution
• building
• establishment
• installation
• complex
• institute

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

In November, detainees at the facility sued, alleging the facility is polluted by sewage leaks and insect infestations, and that detainees can’t get proper medical attention for life-threatening conditions. —Calmatters, Oc Register, 21 Jan. 2026

Former employees and hyperbaric chamber experts testified throughout the past couple of months that the facility failed to use grounding straps as early as 2017, something one former employee testified to not always being the case. —Jack Springgate, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

The plant became the world’s largest nuclear facility in 1997, when its seventh and final reactor entered service. —Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 2026

The discharge location is home to the Bullen Bay storage facility. —Weilun Soon Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 21 Jan. 2026

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

Phrases Containing facility

• correctional facility
• medical facility
• sensitive compartmented information facility

Rhymes for facility

• ability
• agility
• civility
• debility
• docility
• ductility
• fertility
• fragility
• futility
• gentility
• hostility
• humility

Kids Definition

facility

noun

fa·​cil·​i·​ty fə-ˈsil-ət-ē 

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

fa·​cil·​i·​ty fə-ˈsil-ət-ē 

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