viability
noun
vi·a·bil·i·ty
ˌvī-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē 
: the quality or state of being viable: such as
a(1)
: the ability to live, grow, and develop
the viability of seeds under dry conditions
(2)
: the capability of a fetus to survive outside the uterus
fetal viability
b
: the ability to function adequately
The viability of lymphocytes serially harvested from stored bank blood …—
Biological Abstracts
Biological Abstracts
c
: the ability to succeed or be sustained
This year's market turmoil had called into question the viability of the investment-banking business model …—Wall Street Journal
Wall Street JournalGetting an informed start now may be essential to future growth and economic viability of the U.S. wine industry.—Gordon W Murchie
Gordon W MurchieExamples of viability in a Sentence
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Hard tech, such as new battery chemistries or carbon-neutral cement, requires billions of dollars and years of development before reaching commercial viability.
—Imran Khalid, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
Green also mixed it up with Barkley, a longtime subject of Warriors fans’ ire because of his status as a holdout against the early Curry-Green-Klay Thompson Golden State teams’ viability as a true contender, citing their reliance on jumpshooting.
—Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
Plus, with carbon pricing now covering 28 percent of global emissions, the industry faces growing exposure to a new layer of fiscal jeopardy, threatening the viability of traditional low-cost production models.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 6 May 2026
The companies say this structure could reduce financial risk and improve project viability by delivering earlier returns.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for viability
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Imran Khalid, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026
Green also mixed it up with Barkley, a longtime subject of Warriors fans’ ire because of his status as a holdout against the early Curry-Green-Klay Thompson Golden State teams’ viability as a true contender, citing their reliance on jumpshooting.
—Michael Nowels, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
Plus, with carbon pricing now covering 28 percent of global emissions, the industry faces growing exposure to a new layer of fiscal jeopardy, threatening the viability of traditional low-cost production models.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 6 May 2026
The companies say this structure could reduce financial risk and improve project viability by delivering earlier returns.
—Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for viability
Cite this Entry
“Viability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/viability. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
viability
noun
vi·a·bil·i·ty
ˌvī-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē
plural viabilities
: the quality or state of being viable : the ability to live, grow, and develop
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