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
Black participants tended to reach instead for the language of competence or functional justification.
—
Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
But the competence on display on Tuesday and Wednesday cannot be overlooked.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Schools often reward compliance more than competence.
—Ali Kaufman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
But the competence the president wants is to more effectively prosecute his political enemies.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for competence
Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
But the competence on display on Tuesday and Wednesday cannot be overlooked.
—Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Schools often reward compliance more than competence.
—Ali Kaufman, Sun Sentinel, 7 Apr. 2026
But the competence the president wants is to more effectively prosecute his political enemies.
—ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for competence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competence
Noun
-
Dispensaries on tribal land were the first to open because of their sovereignty and ability to make their own rules.—
Frankie McLister,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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The day-long prohibition came less than a week after Middle District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell issued an order expanding Alligator Alcatraz detainees’ access to their lawyers and their ability to use phones at the remote pop-up facility.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
On January 27, 1973, the United States and the governments of North and South Vietnam signed the Paris Peace Accords, negotiated by Kissinger, in his capacity as Nixon’s national-security adviser, and the North Vietnamese diplomat Le Duc Tho.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Analysts also note that US minesweeping capacity alone is limited.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Athena unites all these capabilities in a single, rugged, autonomous platform built for search and rescue.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Ruiz will spearhead the strategy and rollout of new products, technologies and capabilities under Nielsen’s measurement science arm, with a particular focus on driving innovation across Nielsen’s measurement solutions and enhancements for clients.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
If the problem in the past has been core competencies and automakers trying to offer products outside of those, then partnering with a company like Microsoft may result in some benefits.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
16 Apr. 2026
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In 2024, the prosecution was put on hold after Bernandino-Santiago’s lawyer declared a doubt to his mental competency, but things picked up after he was found competent for trial.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Competence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competence. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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