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
Confidence ran in the opposite direction of competence.
—
Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026
The confidence ran in the opposite direction of the competence.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 27 May 2026
Criteria for selection included capacity for leadership, ethical and moral character along with academic competence.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
Nobody expects construction to be painless, but people do expect basic competence and common sense from city leadership.
—Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for competence
Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026
The confidence ran in the opposite direction of the competence.
—Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 27 May 2026
Criteria for selection included capacity for leadership, ethical and moral character along with academic competence.
—Elizabeth Marie Himchak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 May 2026
Nobody expects construction to be painless, but people do expect basic competence and common sense from city leadership.
—Chicago Tribune, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for competence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competence
Noun
-
What sometimes isn’t recognized is Romero’s ability to swing a bat.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
-
And the ability to afford grad school.—
Erika Ettin,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
According to the statement, Xcel has identified resource adequacy as a growing concern for several years and has proposed multiple solutions, including a near-term procurement plan designed to add 3,800 megawatts of new generation capacity.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
2 June 2026
-
Zelensky said in his nightly address Monday that between between January and May, Ukrainian troops have struck 15 Russian oil refineries, knocking out 40% of Russia’s main oil refining capacity.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
Advanced radar and air-defense capabilities have become essential as naval forces face increasingly challenging aerial threats.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
1 June 2026
-
Anthropic’s advances in coding and cybersecurity capabilities have rattled markets and also enticed new business customers.—
Bloomberg,
Fortune,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Remedies range from re-testing to limitations on the license to suspension or more, depending on the driver’s competency.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
29 May 2026
-
But the views expressed on both sides might not apply to you, in particular, because each of us has different goals, contexts, and competencies.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Competence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competence. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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