as in capability
the physical or mental power to do something
as a result of the accident the once-vigorous athlete lost the ability to walk
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ability
These systems demonstrated the ability to generate coherent legal text and assist with analytical tasks, while also highlighting important limitations—particularly around hallucinated citations and the need for human oversight.
—
Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Mamdani’s ability to implement airport-level taxes requires coordination with Governor Hochul and the New Jersey governor’s office.
—Greg Raiff, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Others relied on their sharpshooting abilities to knock down long-range shots.
—Jason Beede, Sun Sentinel, 16 May 2026
Then, in April 2025, CBS News disclosed that the internal government memo governing the operation gave officials wide-ranging discretion to decide who to send to Guantanamo, including the ability to transfer non-criminal detainees there.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ability
Allbusiness, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
Mamdani’s ability to implement airport-level taxes requires coordination with Governor Hochul and the New Jersey governor’s office.
—Greg Raiff, Fortune, 16 May 2026
Others relied on their sharpshooting abilities to knock down long-range shots.
—Jason Beede, Sun Sentinel, 16 May 2026
Then, in April 2025, CBS News disclosed that the internal government memo governing the operation gave officials wide-ranging discretion to decide who to send to Guantanamo, including the ability to transfer non-criminal detainees there.
—Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 13 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for ability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ability
Noun
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To demonstrate the model’s capabilities, Genesis released a video showing robots completing some of the most advanced manipulation tasks achieved so far.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
18 May 2026
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While countries including Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, and Nigeria are advancing digital health and AI strategies, many health systems still face fragmented records, limited computational capabilities, and weak regulatory capacity.—
Francisca Mutapi,
semafor.com,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Amy Dolinky, technical adviser for opioid settlement funds planning and capacity building at the Michigan Association of Counties, told Bridge that some of the counties that had not spent opioid funds as of December have recently completed planning and are preparing to disburse money in 2026.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
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Among adult patients who have the capacity to make their own medical decisions, autonomy (with rare exceptions like suicide) generally wins out — even in scenarios, as in my field of adult intensive care unit (ICU) medicine, where the consequences can be dire.—
Adam W. Gaffney,
STAT,
18 May 2026
Noun
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The Ravitzes, who spent 30 years in Chicago, where Al was on the faculty at the University of Chicago, met in the 1970s at a disco in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where Sue grew up.—
Wendy Goodman,
Curbed,
16 May 2026
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University of Central Florida students and faculty are currently excavating the DeSoto site at Cape Canaveral, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.—
Andrea Margolis,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Noun
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But that trauma has passed, allowing Reilly to show off her riding skills in the new series.—
Bryan Alexander,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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Soon after my arrival, our experienced local guide Jorge rolled out the big map and planned the perfect itinerary for our short stay, catering to our preferences and skill level.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The three hundred players are identified during the preceding summer and fall, when team scouts scour the country to evaluate prospective college talent.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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There aren’t many options for the Pistons to upgrade from someone his age, with his talent and frame.—
Hunter Patterson,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
Malo Gusto is athletically capable of being the Frimpong at Chelsea, but has not demonstrated the same level of aptitude in front of goal.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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For this class, the premise is that your purpose in life lies to the intersection of your values, your aptitudes and your interests.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ability. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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