as in abilities
the physical or mental power to do something
questioned his competence to finish the task without help
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Recent Examples of competences
Over billions of years, increasingly greater competences evolved.
—
Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Jonny Thomson, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competences
Noun
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Peck performed side-by-side with Fambrough until his death in 2023, a time frame that allowed Peck to grow more confident in his abilities and better grasp why his heroes were keen on this arrangement.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
11 Feb. 2026
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The data is clear that, over time, exercise improves both mental health and cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, Bigliassi said.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 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
“Competences.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competences. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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