mobility

noun

mo·​bil·​i·​ty mō-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce mobility (audio)
1
: the quality or state of being mobile or movable
… its efforts were supported by the cavalry which … compensated for the infantry's lack of mobility.R. M. Ogorkiewicz
… it becomes cost-effective and socially advantageous to provide urban mobility by means of metros: urban rail mass transit systems on exclusive rights-of-way.Michael A Niedzielski et al.
: ability or capacity to move
… the physical challenges of vision loss, hearing loss, and reduced mobility.Vicki Bloom and Benjamin B. Green-Field
When large doses of steroids restored mobility, they also created irritability, insatiable appetite, and facial hair …Whitney Scott
2
: the ability to change one's social or socioeconomic position in a community and especially to improve it
A large body of academic research shows that inequality and lack of social mobility hurt not just those at the bottom; they hurt everyone.Rana Foroohar
The mythology of the American Dream has made it difficult to start a serious conversation about how to create more opportunity in our society, since many of us still believe that our mobility is the result of our elbow grease and nothing more.Rana Foroohar
see also upward mobility

Examples of mobility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Desperately impoverished, at least compared to its West German twin, East Germany was also an engine of social mobility. Samuel Clowes Huneke, The New Republic, 22 Sep. 2023 The Eye Gaze feature allows folks with mobility issues and speech disabilities to use Alexa with their eyes. WIRED, 20 Sep. 2023 Huawei is scheduled to hold a product launch event next Monday, where new phones are expected to be the main focus, according to Toby Zhu, a Canalys mobility analyst. Michelle Toh, CNN, 20 Sep. 2023 High-speed rail is intended to solve transport and mobility issues in the Line. Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 13 Sep. 2023 His superhuman mobility is part genetics, part training. Jen Murphy, WSJ, 9 Sep. 2023 Case in point: the Harrington—a jacket initially made for playing golf—featuring a lightweight construction, water-resistant cotton exterior, and a silhouette that allows for maximum mobility. Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 15 Sep. 2023 The gift will be used to increase enrollment, improve efficiency, enhance infrastructure and promote economic mobility at some of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities, according to a news release by the HBCU Transformation Project. Justin Gamble, CNN, 14 Sep. 2023 All of which means that the recent enrollment trends contribute to rising inequality and diminished social mobility. David Leonhardt, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mobility.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mobility was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near mobility

Cite this Entry

“Mobility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mobility. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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