as in ability
the physical or mental power to do something
questioned his competence to finish the task without help
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of competence
People notice your confidence and competence.
—
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
It has been exposed as lacking not just democratic legitimacy but also basic competence.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
While they are trained and qualified, nurses on strike and patients are pointing out that care goes beyond competence.
—Allen Devlin, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
On the road, there’s a sense of calm competence.
—New Atlas, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for competence
Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
It has been exposed as lacking not just democratic legitimacy but also basic competence.
—Arash Azizi, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
While they are trained and qualified, nurses on strike and patients are pointing out that care goes beyond competence.
—Allen Devlin, CBS News, 12 Jan. 2026
On the road, there’s a sense of calm competence.
—New Atlas, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for competence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competence
Noun
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Meanwhile, Newport Harbor’s defense dropped two players from Mater Dei’s right wing — known as the 4-5 side in water polo positions — to slow center Paige Segesman’s ability to attack with a strong left turn toward the cage.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
25 Jan. 2026
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The ability to create misinformation by error or intent is not the only challenge presented by this far-reaching technology.—
Krista Kafer,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Jeff Brady, executive director of communications for the district, said Tiger Team Two met at least once a month from September to December to discuss and evaluate school enrollment, the capacity and upkeep and condition of each campus, finances and boundaries for each school.—
Fousia Abdullahi,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2026
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An inflation report on Tuesday is set to provide a key gauge of the nation’s economy, just days after reports of a Department of Justice probe into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell brought fresh scrutiny to the independence of the central bank and its capacity to manage price increases.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Since the world model is built around video understanding, advances in video AI directly translate into better robotic capabilities.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Jan. 2026
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Wei held a security clearance that gave him access to sensitive national security defense information about the ship's operations and capabilities.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Earlier in the week, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella discussed an emerging type of knowledge work, with new competencies based on how AI was reshaping hierarchies and the way information flows through society.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
23 Jan. 2026
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Employees with these technical and strategic competencies are better positioned to navigate turnover and thrive in organizations that reward impact and execution speed over tenure or traditional hierarchy.—
Kara Dennison,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Competence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competence. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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