ability
noun
Simple meaning
Being able to perform.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
uhbiluhteeSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
əˈbɪləti
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
The quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
uncountable
The quality or state of being able; capacity to do or of doing something; having the necessary power.
countable
A skill or competence in doing; mental power; talent; aptitude.
uncountable
A unique power of the mind; a faculty.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
'Ability' is a straightforward word for what someone can do, often referring to a skill or talent. It's a fundamental concept, distinct from 'skill' which implies learned proficiency, while 'ability' can be innate.
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Successful and accomplished
- Usage feel
- Precise and approving
Where you'll really hear it
Job interviews
“Do you have the ability to work effectively under pressure?”
School reports
“Her strong academic ability is evident in all subjects.”
Self-help books
“Develop your ability to learn new skills quickly.”
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use ability
- “Her ability to learn new languages is truly impressive.”noun
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More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Antonyms
Sense: being able to perform
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Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.