stable

1 of 3

noun

sta·​ble ˈstā-bəl How to pronounce stable (audio)
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

stable

2 of 3

verb

stabled; stabling ˈstā-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce stable (audio)

transitive verb

: to put or keep in a stable

intransitive verb

: to dwell in or as if in a stable

stable

3 of 3

adjective

1
a
: firmly established : fixed, steadfast
stable opinions
b
: not changing or fluctuating : unvarying
in stable condition
c
: permanent, enduring
stable civilizations
2
a
: steady in purpose : firm in resolution
b
: not subject to insecurity or emotional illness : sane, rational
a stable personality
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
stableness noun
stably adverb
Choose the Right Synonym for stable

lasting, permanent, durable, stable mean enduring for so long as to seem fixed or established.

lasting implies a capacity to continue indefinitely.

a book that left a lasting impression on me

permanent adds usually the implication of being designed or planned to stand or continue indefinitely.

permanent living arrangements

durable implies power to resist destructive agencies.

durable fabrics

stable implies lastingness because of resistance to being overturned or displaced.

a stable government

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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Outside, a couple stopped to read the plaque that memorialized Mr. Basquiat’s residence at the address and noted its early use as a stable. Alex Vadukul, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2023 The publication discovered that Gemini can show appointments and add new entries to the Calendar when prompted, which is a stable of Google Assistant. Janhoi McGregor, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Far from the Madding Crowd (2015) A lovely and underrated adaptation of a Thomas Hardy novel, Far from the Madding Crowd stars Carey Mulligan as the fiercely independent Bathsheba while a whole stable of talented Brits (Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Sheen, and Tom Sturridge) play her three suitors. Janey Tracey, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 After entering Catskill Animal Sanctuary, which is about 110 miles north of New York City, the road dips into a bucolic valley and leads to a main farmhouse with stables and pastures around it. Hilary Howard, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024 Its controlling shareholders, the Redstone family, are fielding offers for the company, whose assets include CBS, Paramount Pictures and a stable of cable TV channels. Rob Golum, Fortune, 13 Feb. 2024 The new homeowner also will have access to Serenbe’s vast array of amenities, which include a swim club, tennis courts, stables and 16 miles of nature trails. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 5 Feb. 2024 Its stable of writers includes political journalists, historians and business columnists, among others. David Ingram, NBC News, 9 Jan. 2024 But this past weekend provided the latest sign that the lucrative stable of superheroes is in need of some rescuing. Dan Gallagher, WSJ, 14 Nov. 2023
Verb
According to the form, all starters and also-eligible horses for the Kentucky Derby must be stabled at Churchill Downs by 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 27. Jason Frakes, The Courier-Journal, 31 Jan. 2024 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
Adjective
For most of the past decade, the Cold War Kids lineup has been stable. Peter Larsen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2024 While overall revenue was down at Fremantle, distribution revenue was stable at €331 million ($362 million), on par with 2022 figures. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2024 Distribution revenue was stable at €331 million (2022: €332 million). Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024 Deposits were broadly stable at £15.6 billion with 52,000 current accounts opened in the fourth quarter, according to the statement. Leonard Kehnscherper, Fortune Europe, 13 Mar. 2024 The most pressing challenge is ensuring the electric grid is stable and reliable, said Dave Callahan, the group’s president. Michael Rubinkam and Marc Levy, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 Another feature that made this fan stand out is its internal oscillation — the fan louvers rotate within the housing, keeping the unit more stable. Camryn Rabideau, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Singapore’s population is still stable, but that may be the result of the country’s more liberal immigration policies, compared with Japan and South Korea. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 12 Mar. 2024 One 16-year-old was shot nine times and remains in critical condition, while the others are stable, police said Thursday. Danny Freeman, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024

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

Dictionary Entries Near stable

Cite this Entry

“Stable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stable. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stable

1 of 3 noun
sta·​ble ˈstā-bəl How to pronounce stable (audio)
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

2 of 3 verb
stabled; stabling -b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce stable (audio)
: to put, keep, or live in or as if in a stable

stable

3 of 3 adjective
stabler -b(ə-)lər How to pronounce stable (audio) ; stablest -b(ə-)ləst How to pronounce stable (audio)
1
a
: firmly established : fixed, steadfast
a stable community
b
: not easily changed or affected
a stable government
c
: not likely to change suddenly or greatly
a stable income
2
a
: steady in purpose : constant
b
: not subject to insecurity or emotional illness : sane
stable personalities
3
: not readily changing in chemical composition or physical state
a stable compound
stableness noun
stably adverb
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 How to pronounce stable (audio)
stabler -b(ə-)lər How to pronounce stable (audio) ; stablest -b(ə-)ləst How to pronounce stable (audio)
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

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