capable
adjective
ca·pa·ble
ˈkā-pə-bəl 
in rapid speech ˈkāp-bəl
1
: susceptible
a remark capable of being misunderstood
2
obsolete
: comprehensive
3
: having attributes (such as physical or mental power) required for performance or accomplishment
is capable of intense concentration
4
: having traits conducive to or features permitting something
This woman is capable of murder by violence …—
Robert Graves
Robert Graves5
: having legal right to own, enjoy, or perform
… of my land … I'll work the means / To make thee capable.—William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare6
: having or showing general efficiency and ability
a capable lawyer
a capable performance
Examples of capable in a Sentence
a capable and efficient editor
Recent Examples on the Web
Indeed, during their flyby, the Artemis 2 astronauts saw parts of the far side never before seen with human eyes, which are incredibly capable instruments.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Apr. 2026
Frequent international travelers will appreciate the refined details on this compact yet capable carry-on.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
In its most capable form, the SUV is expected to deliver up to around 590 miles of driving range, positioning it as a long-distance option in the segment.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
Joe Mazzulla did deploy Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Sam Hauser and Jordan Walsh — all players familiar with this Knicks roster and capable of defending the perimeter.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for capable
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Mike Wall, Space.com, 11 Apr. 2026
Frequent international travelers will appreciate the refined details on this compact yet capable carry-on.
—Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
In its most capable form, the SUV is expected to deliver up to around 590 miles of driving range, positioning it as a long-distance option in the segment.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Apr. 2026
Joe Mazzulla did deploy Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Sam Hauser and Jordan Walsh — all players familiar with this Knicks roster and capable of defending the perimeter.
—Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for capable
Cite this Entry
“Capable.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capable. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
capable
adjective
ca·pa·ble
ˈkā-pə-bəl
1
: having the qualities (as physical or mental power) to do or accomplish something
you are capable of better work
2
: having qualities or features permitting
a new train capable of very high speeds
3
: able to do one's job well : generally efficient
tries to hire capable people
capability
noun
ˌkā-pə-ˈbil-ət-ē
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