ability

noun

ə-ˈbi-lə-tē How to pronounce ability (audio)
Definition of abilitynext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ability In the stands, meanwhile, some fans have garnered nearly as much as attention as the players for reasons ranging from their love of ranch dressing to their ability to drink copious amounts of beer. — Emma Banks, PEOPLE, 19 July 2026 Point-Yaxel could be a thing Before summer league began, coach Khalid Robinson made sure to note Lendeborg had the ability to be a lead ballhandler in the NBA. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 19 July 2026 Anything that restricts the plant roots’ ability to take up water also reduces the amount of nutrients a plant receives. — Dawn Pettinelli, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026 Built into the contracts with Google and Anthropic is a 90-day cancellation provision that gives SpaceX the ability to reclaim its compute if Grok’s needs suddenly increase. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 19 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for ability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ability
  1. capability
  2. capacity
  3. faculty
  4. skill
  5. talent
  6. aptitude
Noun
  • Amazon and Anthropic are the absences that matter, because both sell frontier AI capability and both have a direct stake in how this is decided.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 26 July 2026
  • That provoked a campaign of US strikes early in 2025, which degraded their capabilities.
    — Chris Lau, CNN Money, 26 July 2026
Definition of capability
Noun
  • The state said only areas that have projects that add capacity to a road or significantly change a road qualify for sound barriers.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 26 July 2026
  • An economic indicator like median wages does not capture the capacity of family budgets to accommodate additional price hikes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 July 2026
Definition of capacity
Noun
  • Counting signatures on a separate support letter written by non-STEM faculty, a total of about 3,300 professors are calling for a reinstatement of standardized testing.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
  • In the 1990s, faculty banned laptops from seminars, fearing typing would replace listening.
    — Terry Oroszi, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of faculty
Noun
  • There was no run game, the skill group wasn’t impactful and the offensive line couldn’t protect.
    — Antonio Morales, New York Times, 22 July 2026
  • The owners are looking to take their culinary skills and move the conversation around Filipino cuisine forward.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 22 July 2026
Definition of skill
Noun
  • Diversity leaders, who have often been positioned around talent, will no longer be able to lean on the annual EEO1 report that many have relied on to understand the demographic data needed to excel in their position.
    — Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026
  • As well as his dazzling talent, supporters loved the tireless work rate and enthusiasm of their No 7.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of talent
Noun
  • Valeri, who began playing at age 4 in his Buenos Aires suburb, said the futbol passion and aptitude run deep in a country where community pride infuses youth-club rivalries and street soccer prevails in many neighborhoods.
    — Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026
  • King contrasted the country’s technological expertise with its moral aptitude.
    — Dawn M. Turner, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
Definition of aptitude

Browse Nearby Words

abilities
ability
a bit
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ability. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ability

Nglish: Translation of ability for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ability

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