competency

noun

ˈkäm-pə-tən(t)-sē How to pronounce competency (audio)
Definition of competencynext
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of competency Knowing when not to use a tool is as much a competency as knowing how to use it. — Susan Gouijnstook, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026 At a brief hearing in Los Angeles County court, Judge Maria Cavalluzzi issued the competency ruling after psychiatric evaluations for Ortiz. — ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026 Representatives of the State Attorney General’s Office, however, pointed to Thompson’s pending evaluations and opposed holding a competency hearing in Miami. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026 Attorneys have also sought competency evaluations for her husband and his mother. — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for competency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for competency
  1. ability
  2. capacity
  3. capability
  4. competence
Noun
  • So far, Siemens has managed to persuade companies to share their data in return for access to its AI model and the ability to request new use cases.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
  • If future laws change to allow recognition of AI agents and/or their human creators as discoverers (with or without human collaborators), how might this affect accountability, ownership, and the ability to profit from discoveries?
    — Jeffrey S. Flier, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of ability
Noun
  • We’ve been told that Ultraviolette is preparing for considerably greater production volumes for now, with the company having announced plans for a new manufacturing facility in India with an eventual capacity of up to 500,000 bikes a year.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Oct. 2026
  • No, the dunks and 3s and assists didn't count in any official capacity.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of capacity
Noun
  • The island has hosted a Ground Self-Defense Force garrison since 2016, while Tokyo has plans to add additional air-defense capabilities in the coming years.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The South Korean military, which often accuses North Korea of exaggerating its military capabilities, did not immediately comment on Kim's claims.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of capability
Noun
  • In a room full of fascists and fools, Ahmed’s projection of competence—and of the spluttering exasperation that is the lot of the competent—proves a genuine balm.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2026
  • And indeed Verity — directed with straightforward competence and a faint wry smirk by Michael Showalter and adapted by screenwriter Nick Antosca (Apple TV’s Cape Fear series) — is a mild lark for its first hour.
    — Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of competence

Browse Nearby Words

competencies
competency
competent
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Competency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/competency. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of regimen

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All