1
: a building in which domestic animals are sheltered and fed
especially
: such a building having stalls or compartments
a horse stable
2
a
: the racehorses of one owner
b
: a group of people (such as athletes, writers, or performers) under one management
c
: the racing cars of one owner
d
: group, collection
stabler
ˈstā-b(ə-)lər 
; stablest
ˈstā-b(ə-)ləst
; stablest
ˈstā-b(ə-)ləst
1
2
3
a(1)
: placed so as to resist forces tending to cause motion or change of motion
(2)
: designed so as to develop forces that restore the original condition when disturbed from a condition of equilibrium or steady motion
b(1)
: not readily altering in chemical makeup or physical state
stable emulsions
(2)
: not spontaneously radioactive
Synonyms
Examples of stable in a Sentence
Noun
She rode the horse back to the stable.
There have been three winners from his stable this season.
A new model will be added to the car company's stable of sedans.
Verb
Where do you stable your horses?
Adjective
They have a stable relationship.
Children need to be raised in a stable environment.
Make sure the platform is stable.
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Recent Examples on the Web
Jacob Sweet, The New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2023
And Heaven Hill is no stranger to great whiskeys, which Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Old Fitzgerald in its stable of brands.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 20 Nov. 2023
Like several other recently concluded FX shows that are its top-tier companions — Better Things and Atlanta come instantly to mind — Reservation Dogs became a show that, week to week, could be absolutely anything and could make any character in its stable into its complicated protagonist.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Sep. 2023
This was on full display at Hermès’s Friday night summer cocktail party, which was hosted during the Hampton Classic at the stables of Deslauriers Farm in Watermill, New York—the estate owned by husband-and-wife Grand Prix riders Mario and Lisa Deslauriers.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2023
Many OnlyFans creators don’t offer anything explicit, and the site has pushed to spotlight its stable of chefs, comedians and mountain bikers on a streaming channel, OFTV.
—Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
Originally constructed as commercial stables in 1880, it was turned into a garage and scrap metal business after World War II.
—Bill Wyman Anu Kumar, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2023
The former stable could give visitors a visual lesson on what 18th-century stables looked like, display some of the findings from the archaeological dig, and offer a perspective on enslaved labor that varies from the brute field work often associated with slavery in the South.
—Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Sep. 2023
Since its inception in 2006, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has provided more than 700 units of affordable and supportive housing in 11 states and provided homes to 77 previously homeless veterans along with a stable of support onsite.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2023
San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Oct. 2023
There was a rose garden and chandeliers, horse stables for equine therapy, yoga and an on-site chef who cooked only organic food — all for $40,000 a month.
—Teo Armus, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023
The teams spent half the year at Jones’ farm and stables in Florida.
—Adam England, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2023
Other notable features include heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, a mosque, and stables with enough room to accommodate up to 10 horses.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 25 July 2023
Enjoy snowy wonderland, reindeer stables, elves workshop, Mrs. Claus' old-fashioned kitchen and Santa himself.
—Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 17 July 2023
The tree also stands outside what were once the High Street stables of Edward E. Bennett, a local hotel keeper who sheltered enslaved people seeking freedom along the Underground Railroad.
—Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 8 July 2023
The apartment had started life as horse stables in the 1870s, servicing a much larger bourgeois house adjacent to it.
—Olivia Gregory, ELLE Decor, 24 May 2023
Joseph said Parents Pride and Chasing Artie had been stabled at Keeneland before shipping to Churchill Downs.
—Jason Frakes, The Courier-Journal, 4 May 2023
WSJ, 5 Dec. 2023
The Louisiana native was released from the hospital that same night in stable condition, but Philadelphia police had said the NBA star suffered a broken rib and injuries to his right side, including his hip and leg.
—Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 5 Dec. 2023
Moody’s lowered its outlook to negative from stable while retaining a long-term rating of A1 on the nation’s sovereign bonds, according to a statement.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2023
The exact technical implementation can vary widely, but Mozilla is a stable example of combining a humanitarian mission with for-profit ventures.
—Paresh Dave, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2023
Historically, it’s been difficult to imagine the rise of such a party in Ireland, with its stable, largely centrist government.
—Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2023
The teenage girl, whose name was not released, remained hospitalized Monday in stable condition, according to police.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 4 Dec. 2023
The second guard, who is 23, was in stable condition after being stabbed in the face and forearm.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2023
The third victim, Tahseen Ahmad, a student at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, is said to be in stable condition, according to a statement released by the president and vice president of Trinity College.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 29 Nov. 2023
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Noun
His follower count has risen from twenty thousand to thirty thousand, and he’s gained a loyal stable of commentators.
—Jacob Sweet, The New Yorker, 28 Nov. 2023
And Heaven Hill is no stranger to great whiskeys, which Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Old Fitzgerald in its stable of brands.
—Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 20 Nov. 2023
Like several other recently concluded FX shows that are its top-tier companions — Better Things and Atlanta come instantly to mind — Reservation Dogs became a show that, week to week, could be absolutely anything and could make any character in its stable into its complicated protagonist.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Sep. 2023
This was on full display at Hermès’s Friday night summer cocktail party, which was hosted during the Hampton Classic at the stables of Deslauriers Farm in Watermill, New York—the estate owned by husband-and-wife Grand Prix riders Mario and Lisa Deslauriers.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2023
Many OnlyFans creators don’t offer anything explicit, and the site has pushed to spotlight its stable of chefs, comedians and mountain bikers on a streaming channel, OFTV.
—Drew Harwell, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
Originally constructed as commercial stables in 1880, it was turned into a garage and scrap metal business after World War II.
—Bill Wyman Anu Kumar, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2023
The former stable could give visitors a visual lesson on what 18th-century stables looked like, display some of the findings from the archaeological dig, and offer a perspective on enslaved labor that varies from the brute field work often associated with slavery in the South.
—Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 1 Sep. 2023
Since its inception in 2006, the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation has provided more than 700 units of affordable and supportive housing in 11 states and provided homes to 77 previously homeless veterans along with a stable of support onsite.
—Paul Grein, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2023
Verb
The area became popular with wealthy residents and their horse stables, a South County version of Rancho Santa Fe.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Oct. 2023
There was a rose garden and chandeliers, horse stables for equine therapy, yoga and an on-site chef who cooked only organic food — all for $40,000 a month.
—Teo Armus, Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2023
The teams spent half the year at Jones’ farm and stables in Florida.
—Adam England, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2023
Other notable features include heated indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, a mosque, and stables with enough room to accommodate up to 10 horses.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 25 July 2023
Enjoy snowy wonderland, reindeer stables, elves workshop, Mrs. Claus' old-fashioned kitchen and Santa himself.
—Luann Gibbs, The Enquirer, 17 July 2023
The tree also stands outside what were once the High Street stables of Edward E. Bennett, a local hotel keeper who sheltered enslaved people seeking freedom along the Underground Railroad.
—Tiana Woodard, BostonGlobe.com, 8 July 2023
The apartment had started life as horse stables in the 1870s, servicing a much larger bourgeois house adjacent to it.
—Olivia Gregory, ELLE Decor, 24 May 2023
Joseph said Parents Pride and Chasing Artie had been stabled at Keeneland before shipping to Churchill Downs.
—Jason Frakes, The Courier-Journal, 4 May 2023
Adjective
Moody’s changes its outlook on the company’s credit to stable from positive, while S&PGR revises its outlook to negative from stable.
—WSJ, 5 Dec. 2023
The Louisiana native was released from the hospital that same night in stable condition, but Philadelphia police had said the NBA star suffered a broken rib and injuries to his right side, including his hip and leg.
—Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 5 Dec. 2023
Moody’s lowered its outlook to negative from stable while retaining a long-term rating of A1 on the nation’s sovereign bonds, according to a statement.
—Bloomberg, Fortune, 5 Dec. 2023
The exact technical implementation can vary widely, but Mozilla is a stable example of combining a humanitarian mission with for-profit ventures.
—Paresh Dave, WIRED, 5 Dec. 2023
Historically, it’s been difficult to imagine the rise of such a party in Ireland, with its stable, largely centrist government.
—Lorraine Berry, Los Angeles Times, 5 Dec. 2023
The teenage girl, whose name was not released, remained hospitalized Monday in stable condition, according to police.
—Bill Hutchinson, ABC News, 4 Dec. 2023
The second guard, who is 23, was in stable condition after being stabbed in the face and forearm.
—Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2023
The third victim, Tahseen Ahmad, a student at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, is said to be in stable condition, according to a statement released by the president and vice president of Trinity College.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 29 Nov. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stable.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French estable, stable, from Latin stabulum, from stare to stand — more at stand
Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French estable, stable, from Latin stabilis, from stare to stand
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of stable was
in the 13th century
Phrases Containing stable
Dictionary Entries Near stable
Cite this Entry
“Stable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stable. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
stable
1 of 3 noun
sta·ble
ˈstā-bəl
1
: a building in which domestic animals are sheltered and fed
especially
: such a building having stalls or compartments
a horse stable
2
a
: the racehorses of one owner
b
: a group of athletes (as boxers) under one management
stable
3 of 3 adjective
stabler
-b(ə-)lər
; stablest
-b(ə-)ləst
; stablest
-b(ə-)ləst
1
2
3
: not readily changing in chemical composition or physical state
a stable compound
Etymology
Noun
Middle English stable "a place where animals are sheltered," from early French estable (same meaning), from Latin stabulum (same meaning), from stare "to stand"
Adjective
Middle English stable "fixed, not moving or changing," from early French estable (same meaning), from Latin stabilis (same meaning), from stare "to stand"
Medical Definition
stable
adjective
sta·ble
ˈstā-bəl
stabler
-b(ə-)lər
; stablest
-b(ə-)ləst
; stablest
-b(ə-)ləst
1
: not changing or fluctuating
the patient's condition was listed as stable
2
: not subject to insecurity or emotional illness
a stable personality
3
a
: not readily altering in chemical makeup or physical state
stable emulsions
b
: not spontaneously radioactive
a stable isotope
More from Merriam-Webster on stable
Nglish: Translation of stable for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of stable for Arabic Speakers
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