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
Margins this close in the House mean that any vacancy, particularly in a swing district like Bacon's, could significantly impact the party's legislative agenda and ability to pass bills.
—
Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
What are the potential implications of the conviction for his ability to return to the United States?
—Juan Carlos Chavez, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025
Access to water should not depend on the ability to purchase it from the bottled water industry that continues to profit from a basic human need.
—Rachel Bustamante, Baltimore Sun, 28 June 2025
Historians say white lawmakers in the post-war South sought to enshrine their ability to keep Black men from voting by barring federal forces from bolstering the local militias that protected them.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ability
Anna Commander, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 June 2025
What are the potential implications of the conviction for his ability to return to the United States?
—Juan Carlos Chavez, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2025
Access to water should not depend on the ability to purchase it from the bottled water industry that continues to profit from a basic human need.
—Rachel Bustamante, Baltimore Sun, 28 June 2025
Historians say white lawmakers in the post-war South sought to enshrine their ability to keep Black men from voting by barring federal forces from bolstering the local militias that protected them.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for ability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ability
Noun
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To deter China and to improve U.S. warfighting capability, the United States would seek to restore its own weakened defense industrial base.—
JENNIFER LIND,
Foreign Affairs,
24 June 2025
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That threat would initially come from Iran’s ability to share nuclear weapons with the remnants of its proxies and later from ballistic missiles as the country’s capabilities progressed.—
Colin Pascal,
Baltimore Sun,
24 June 2025
Noun
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Improving your physical stamina mainly involves cardiovascular training to increase your aerobic capacity, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
19 June 2025
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License methods that scale beyond your personal capacity.—
Jodie Cook,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2025
Noun
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The Daily Northwestern, however, reported that only one Palestinian faculty member is currently a visiting scholar.—
Ikram Mohamed,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
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Mind you, the membership of the Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS) is maybe a thousand higher-ed faculty and graduate students from across the humanities and social sciences.—
erin Khuê Ninh
June 17,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2025
Noun
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The local event is part of a yearly nationwide ham radio open house, during which more than 40,000 amateur radio clubs throughout North America set up temporary transmitting stations in public places to demonstrate its science, skill, and service to communities and the nation.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2025
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Size with skill is back in fashion, and the 2025 NBA Draft may deliver its next great example.—
Sindiswa Mabunda,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2025
Noun
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If scoring is a privileged talent, sharing the ball is an intuitive skill.—
Patrick Z. McGavin,
Chicago Tribune,
17 June 2025
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In the championship game, Peterson flexed her talent, reaching 42 assists and a team-high 13 digs.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 June 2025
Noun
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The ‘lucky’ question Jeff Bezos always asked interviewees at Amazon Attitude has long been as important as aptitude at Amazon.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
18 June 2025
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Girard’s size, and the idea that Colorado is a small-ish team that needs more grit and defensive aptitude in the playoffs, also lead people back to him as a trade candidate.—
Corey Masisak,
Denver Post,
1 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ability. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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