viability
noun
vi·a·bil·i·ty
ˌvī-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē 
: the quality or state of being viable: such as
a(1)
: the ability to live, grow, and develop
the viability of seeds under dry conditions
(2)
: the capability of a fetus to survive outside the uterus
fetal viability
b
: the ability to function adequately
The viability of lymphocytes serially harvested from stored bank blood …—
Biological Abstracts
Biological Abstracts
c
: the ability to succeed or be sustained
This year's market turmoil had called into question the viability of the investment-banking business model …—Wall Street Journal
Wall Street JournalGetting an informed start now may be essential to future growth and economic viability of the U.S. wine industry.—Gordon W Murchie
Gordon W MurchieExamples of viability in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This mismatch has historically limited the viability of bamboo as a structural material in advanced UAV applications.
—Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Many brands ‘suffering from slow sales’ The collapse of Allbirds now has some people asking larger questions about the viability of DTC.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 3 Apr. 2026
Bloomberg dives into the responsibility on the shoulders of Hood, whose decisions are viewed not just in the context of Microsoft's business but as a referendum on the viability of the entire AI industry.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Alcon and Parrot will work together to identify latent demand, assess franchise viability and determine the best time to reintroduce existing titles to the market.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for viability
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Apr. 2026
Many brands ‘suffering from slow sales’ The collapse of Allbirds now has some people asking larger questions about the viability of DTC.
—Justin Klawans, TheWeek, 3 Apr. 2026
Bloomberg dives into the responsibility on the shoulders of Hood, whose decisions are viewed not just in the context of Microsoft's business but as a referendum on the viability of the entire AI industry.
—Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 2 Apr. 2026
Alcon and Parrot will work together to identify latent demand, assess franchise viability and determine the best time to reintroduce existing titles to the market.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for viability
Cite this Entry
“Viability.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/viability. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
viability
noun
vi·a·bil·i·ty
ˌvī-ə-ˈbil-ət-ē
plural viabilities
: the quality or state of being viable : the ability to live, grow, and develop
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
