usability

noun

us·​abil·​i·​ty ˌyü-zə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

: the quality or state of being usable : ease of use

When netbooks arrived a couple of years ago, they were so tiny, only spider monkeys would find them usable. But as they've inched up in size and usability, their sales have taken off.

—David Pogue

One of the other great problems of computer software is preoccupation with bells and whistles, rather than usability. Even software that began as easily usable can evolve over time into something so burdened with complicated (and trivial) features that it is a challenge to figure out how to do the simplest thing.

—Thomas Sowell

Examples of usability in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Budget-conscious shoppers who aren’t taxing the system with anything demanding ought to find that chip offers ample performance for everyday usability. —PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2025

Rather than chasing gimmicks, the company has doubled down on image quality, system reliability, and post-incident usability. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2025

But Ford has done a credible job at balancing off-road stiffness with everyday usability. —New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2025

Today’s models are making strides in usability. —Michael C. Horowitz, Foreign Affairs, 26 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for usability

• affability
• audibility
• bistability
• capability
• changeability
• contractility
• credibility
• culpability
• disability
• disutility
• durability
• fallibility