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
South Carolina only scored nine points off offensive rebounds, but the inability to bring down boards limited UConn’s ability to push the pace in transition, and the Huskies finished with just nine fastbreak points.
—
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2026
Sourati is most concerned that homogenization is happening to people who are developing their ability to creatively generate new ideas.
—Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Moscow significantly modified the original Shahed-136, rebranded as the Geran-2, enhancing its ability to evade air defenses and be mass produced.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
Instructor Peggie Moore is passionate about working with students of every age, size, shape and ability.
—Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ability
Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2026
Sourati is most concerned that homogenization is happening to people who are developing their ability to creatively generate new ideas.
—Asuka Koda, CNN Money, 4 Apr. 2026
Moscow significantly modified the original Shahed-136, rebranded as the Geran-2, enhancing its ability to evade air defenses and be mass produced.
—ABC News, 4 Apr. 2026
Instructor Peggie Moore is passionate about working with students of every age, size, shape and ability.
—Kris Slugg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ability
Noun
-
Crews set fire to trees, grease and various other objects to try out the capabilities.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Tyson Eckert, the fourteen-year-old, lectured about character, competence, confidence, capability, credibility, competitiveness, and courage.—
Charles Bethea,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Neither has served in an active military capacity during the current conflict.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
The new facility will be based in the Finnish city of Lappeenranta with a capacity of up to 310 MW.—
Kai Nicol-Schwarz,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Whitacre wrote the choral work, originally commissioned by the Los Angeles Master Chorale and recorded in 2020, using a text by his friend, poet and medieval history professor Charles Anthony Silvestri, on the faculty at Washburn University.—
Eric E. Harrison,
Arkansas Online,
4 Apr. 2026
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Yale has guidance on AI usage for both students and faculty.—
Asuka Koda,
CNN Money,
4 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If feedback arrives, take it as encouragement to refine, not retreat, since practice is what makes potential skills into real ones!—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
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Since the start of the school year, four Cristo Rey students have worked as interns to gain administrative skills and firsthand experience in how a nonprofit operates.—
Christina Mayo,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Some say that the quantity of productions required by streaming services has diluted the talent pool of crews.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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When their cultural impact coalesced with a massive talent infusion through the transfer portal, the Bruins captured their first championship in the NCAA era by routing South Carolina 79-51 on Sunday.—
Sabreena Merchant,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Flutie played beyond his physical abilities partly because of his aptitude.—
Dan Pompei,
New York Times,
16 Mar. 2026
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What Godoy does have a great aptitude for, however, is video games.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ability. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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