ability

Definitions

1. noun

   The power or skill to do something.

   Examples

   • This phone has the ability to update itself.
   • Wood has the ability to resist insects for a long time.
   ≈capacity≈faculty≈capability≈talent≈cleverness +7 more
2. noun

   Talent or skill in doing something.

   Examples

   • The class has students of mixed ability.
   • They are people of ability who will go far in life.
   ≈skill
3. noun

   A special power of the mind.

   Examples

   • She has had a special mental ability since childhood.
   • His photographic memory is an unusual ability.
4. noun

   Strength or skill of the body.

   Examples

   • Years of training gave the athlete great physical ability.
   • Old age began to limit her physical ability.
5. noun

   The money needed to pay for something.

   Examples

   • The bank checked his ability to repay the loan.
   • Her financial ability let her start a new business.
6. noun

   The legal right to do something.

   Examples

   • Long ago, women were often denied the ability to own land.
   • The law once questioned a child's ability to sign contracts.
7. noun

   In old-fashioned use, how suitable something is for a purpose.

   Examples

   • The surveyors noted the site's ability for a new harbor.
   • They judged the land's ability for farming before moving there.