as in capability
the physical or mental power to do something
as a result of the accident the once-vigorous athlete lost the ability to walk
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Recent Examples of ability
Additionally, the ability to collect live data from inside the brain could accelerate research and drug development for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
—
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2025
Classes are accessible to all levels and abilities.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025
The rot interferes with a plant's ability to absorb moisture and nutrients through the roots, and eventually the plant dies.1
What Are The Signs Of Root Rot?
Yellow Or Faded Leaves
Yellow or faded leaves indicate too much water and can be one of the earliest signs of root rot.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
Radtke's striking defense was his ability to take the blows, which failed him in a big way in the early moments of the second round when Malott landed a massive counter left hook that dropped Radtke to the mat.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ability
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 May 2025
Classes are accessible to all levels and abilities.
—Ramona Sentinel, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2025
The rot interferes with a plant's ability to absorb moisture and nutrients through the roots, and eventually the plant dies.1
What Are The Signs Of Root Rot?
Yellow Or Faded Leaves
Yellow or faded leaves indicate too much water and can be one of the earliest signs of root rot.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
Radtke's striking defense was his ability to take the blows, which failed him in a big way in the early moments of the second round when Malott landed a massive counter left hook that dropped Radtke to the mat.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for ability
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ability
Noun
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Most tellingly, despite their intense work ethic, their team shows limited growth in capabilities over time.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
3 May 2025
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This allows SpaceX to devote a higher share of the rocket's mass and volume capacity to the Starlink satellites themselves, replacing dead weight with revenue-earning capability.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
3 May 2025
Noun
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Here is a comparisons of the Qatari plane versus Air Force One based on publicly available information: Boeing 747-200B v. Boeing 747-8 Air Force One is a Boeing 747-200B, which has increased fuel capacity and more powerful engines than the standard 747-200.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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The government shouldn’t eliminate or hobble the federal disaster-response infrastructure — but also, states can do more to prepare for and respond to disasters, such as investing in climate resilience and expanding their emergency management capacity.—
Hayley Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
Noun
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The award is named in honor of LIM College’s president from 1972 to 2002, and is given to a faculty member who performs in exemplary fashion in the classroom and consistently embodies LIM College’s core values.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
12 May 2025
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The task force was made up of 30 members of the Park Hill community — including teachers, high school students, faculty members and parents.—
Alecia Taylor,
Kansas City Star,
11 May 2025
Noun
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In this sports competition, athletes on the Red Team and the Blue Team put their physical and mental skills to the test against a series of innovative circuits and challenges.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
8 May 2025
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However, their skills were often downplayed by claims that they’d been signed to generate ticket sales and boost interest in the struggling league.—
The Editors,
JSTOR Daily,
8 May 2025
Noun
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The literary character and his team combine their talents to investigate the root causes of patients' dilemmas, with each episode mixing medical and mystery.—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
12 May 2025
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For international film journalists, the festival is an opportunity to see and discuss these films and, in that context, interview these talents.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
12 May 2025
Noun
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Judging by the untended blisters on his knuckles and palms, however, Enzo doesn’t show much aptitude for it — to the extent that his supervisor drives the boy home one day to speak with his parents, surprised to discover that Enzo lives in a posh home with ocean views and a private pool.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
14 May 2025
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Hiring focuses on ability and aptitude, in companies that are focused on growth.—
Chris Westfall,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ability.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ability. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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