1
as in abilities
a skill, an ability, or knowledge that makes a person able to do a particular job
the nature of the tasks to which you are assigned will depend on your capabilities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in capacities
the physical or mental power to do something
the natural capability some people seem to have for teaching
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in possibilities
something that can develop or become actual
there are great capabilities in the property, either as a bed-and-breakfast or as a private home
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of capabilities
Federal rules required that phone carriers be able to track the locations of phones for emergency services; Altman struck deals with carriers to tap these capabilities for the company’s use.
—
Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
While the deception operation was ongoing, the agency used its capabilities to track the crew member in a mountain crevice, the official said.
—Olivia Rinaldi, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
Netanyahu angered Trump earlier in the war by attacking Iranian oil and gas facilities; but Netanyahu then pivoted to Iranian infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities.
—Daniel Kurtzer, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement that Israel's military strikes in Iran have destroyed the majority of Iran's capabilities to manufacture steel.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 5 Apr. 2026
That Iran was able to shoot down an advanced US jet showed Iran’s continuing capabilities despite intense US and Israeli strikes.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
The Factbook showed off American intelligence capabilities to the former Soviet Union and other enemies.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Many investments have been made with the goal of increasing the hospital’s capabilities.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
That would give Japan some very credible counter-strike capabilities if push came to shove.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
While the deception operation was ongoing, the agency used its capabilities to track the crew member in a mountain crevice, the official said.
—Olivia Rinaldi, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
Netanyahu angered Trump earlier in the war by attacking Iranian oil and gas facilities; but Netanyahu then pivoted to Iranian infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities.
—Daniel Kurtzer, New York Daily News, 5 Apr. 2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement that Israel's military strikes in Iran have destroyed the majority of Iran's capabilities to manufacture steel.
—Npr Staff, NPR, 5 Apr. 2026
That Iran was able to shoot down an advanced US jet showed Iran’s continuing capabilities despite intense US and Israeli strikes.
—Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2026
The Factbook showed off American intelligence capabilities to the former Soviet Union and other enemies.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
Many investments have been made with the goal of increasing the hospital’s capabilities.
—Paul Sisson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2026
That would give Japan some very credible counter-strike capabilities if push came to shove.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for capabilities
Noun
-
The deft use of AI animation comes after Chinese President Xi Jinping has pushed for years to boost the country's abilities to spread its messages globally, gain a greater say on world affairs and counter Western narratives that Beijing often sees as biased or even derogatory about China.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Pannek insists that helping teammates play their best to the best of their abilities is what matters now.—
Theodore Tollefson,
Twin Cities,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The phrase was originally associated with Sutskever, who used it to caution his colleagues about the risks of artificial general intelligence—the threshold at which machines match human cognitive capacities.—
Ronan Farrow,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The lawsuit sues multiple parties, including the City of Memphis, Walmart, Walmart employees, and two Memphis police officers in their individual and official capacities.—
Lucas Finton,
Memphis Commercial Appeal,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Some version of this happens in all your books—an imagined future opens up new possibilities in the present.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Joey Muldowney, who was drafted two years ago by the Sharks, forward Jake Richard and defenseman Viking Gustafsson-Nyberg are other possibilities to go pro.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The ambition is to ensure that young players do not end up on the scrapheap, but leave the game armed with their own scrapbook of skills and qualifications.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Bondi cut off the American Bar Association’s access to judicial nominees for the first time in 72 years, depriving the Senate of an independent opinion on their qualifications.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
All of the cumulative regions the wave passes through, with all of the growth and shrinkages that occur, imprint themselves onto the wave, as do the initial and final gravitational potentials.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Interestingly, the materials could achieve 100-million-volt potentials over mere centimeters rather than kilometers.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Lucrative, fully remote data science jobs with robust salaries usually require technical proficiencies that are gauged in an interview.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Industry experience and demonstrated proficiencies are among the top factors considered by employers surveyed in NACE’s Job Outlook 2026.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
One of the top pitching prospects in the organization, Klassen gave up an ambush double to Luke Raley on his first major league pitch but avoided damage in the first inning.—
Doug Padilla,
Oc Register,
6 Apr. 2026
-
The Broncos head coach and general manager are set to spend most of the first four weeks of April sequestered in front of a big screen in Denver’s team room, clickers in hand, watching tape of draft prospects.—
Parker Gabriel,
Denver Post,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The Service’s regional headquarters will vanish, along with most of its research facilities and experimental forests—and also quite likely the sense of mission that has animated the agency for more than a century.—
Bill McKibben,
New Yorker,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Instead of using explosives, most attacks used carbon fiber bombs that incapacitated the facilities instead of destroying them.—
Chris Boccia,
ABC News,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Capabilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capabilities. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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