ability
əˈbɪlɪti
abilities
Definition Synonyms

Definition of ability - Reverso English Dictionary

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Noun

1.
capabilitypossession of the means or skill to do something
  • Her ability to speak multiple languages is impressive..
capability capacity power
2.
personal strengthcapacity to do something well, through practice or inborn gifts
  • Her ability to solve complex equations quickly impressed the entire mathematics department.
proficiency skill talent
3.
psychologymental power or faculty
  • The ability to concentrate is crucial for success.
mental capacity
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Expressions with ability

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speed at which one learns new things
His learning ability allowed him to quickly master the new software.
inherent capacity to perform
His natural ability in mathematics is impressive.
capacity to perform physical tasks
His physical ability allowed him to excel in sports.
skill of a person in using one or more spoken or written languages
Her language ability improved quickly after she moved abroad.
capacity or skill to do supernatural acts through magic
In the story, her magical ability grows stronger each year.
capacity to learn or understand information
Her mental ability helped her excel in school.

Origin of ability

Latin, habilitas (aptitude)

Terms with ability included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
cannotaux.v.
ability
express inability or impossibility to do something
skill
one's ability to prepare food
couldaux.v.
ability
indicating a past ability or permission
eyen.
vision
ability to see or perceive visually
perception
ability to see or perceive something
cognitive ability
having high mental capacity or quick understanding
vision
the ability to see with the eyes
education
ability to do something well through training

Examples of ability in a sentence

  • The athlete's ability to recover quickly is remarkable.
  • His ability to stay calm under pressure impressed the interview panel.
  • The coach praised her ability to adapt to different positions on the field.
  • Her ability to empathize made her a great counselor.
  • He has an uncanny ability to remember names.

View all translations of ability

Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
  1. French:capacité, faculté, ...
  2. German:Fähigkeit, Begabung, ...
  3. Italian:abilità, talento, ...
  4. Spanish:capacidad, talento, ...
  5. Portuguese:capacidade, aptidão, ...
  6. Chinese:才干, 本领, ...
  7. Japanese:能力, 才能, ...
  8. Arabic:قُدْرَة, مَهارَة, ...
  9. Hebrew:יְכוֹלֶת, כִּישָּׁרוֹן, ...
  10. Russian:умение, дар, ...
  11. Ukrainian:здатність, здібність, ...
  12. Hindi:क्षमता, शक्ति, ...
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