Synonyms of competency

competency

noun

ˈkäm-pə-tən(t)-sē 

as in ability

the physical or mental power to do something

she's proved that she has the competency to run a major company

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ability
• capacity
• capability
• competence
• aptitude
• faculty
• talent
• skill
• capableness
• reason
• equipment
• facility
• knack
• instinct
• gift
• prowess
• understanding
• intelligence
• dexterity
• endowment
• address
• resources
• usefulness
• fitness
• adequacy
• resourcefulness
• effectiveness
• potency
• influence
• aptness
• gray matter
• adroitness
• deftness
• staying power
• means
• ken
• might
• hand
• stuff
• wherewithal
• effectualness
• puissance
• form

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• disability
• incompetency
• incompetence
• incapacity
• inability
• ineptitude
• ineptness
• incapability
• paralysis
• weakness
• helplessness
• deficiency
• impotence
• powerlessness
• inadequacy
• impairment
• defectiveness
• ineffectiveness
• uselessness
• incapableness
• inefficacy
• ineffectuality
• incapacitation
• disablement
• debilitation
• ineffectualness
• inadequateness
• inefficaciousness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of competency

The inmate also had been placed on a state hospital hold while the courts determined competency to stand trial. — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 15 July 2026

The two companies also have separate core competencies, with Stripe focused on merchants and PayPal embracing 430 million consumer accounts. — Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 15 July 2026

Michael Gledhill made his first appearance in court June 5 for his arraignment, and returned for a competency hearing June 22, where he was deemed not mentally fit for criminal proceedings. — Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 14 July 2026

While the competency and effectiveness of every organization’s player-development team can vary wildly, Flora feels like a pitcher whose success will have more to do with his body holding up than anything his organization does or doesn’t do. — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 12 July 2026