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Synonyms

able

1 American  
[ey-buhl] / ˈeɪ bəl /

adjective

abler, ablest

  1. having necessary power, skill, resources, or qualifications; qualified.

    able to lift a two-hundred-pound weight; able to write music; able to travel widely; able to vote.
    Synonyms:
    fitted, fit
    Antonyms:
    incompetent

  2. having unusual or superior intelligence, skill, etc..

    an able leader.
    Synonyms:
    ingenious, clever, skilled, talented

  3. showing talent, skill, or knowledge.

    an able speech.
    Synonyms:
    apt

  4. legally empowered, qualified, or authorized.

noun

  1. Usually Able a code word formerly used in communications to represent the letter A.

-able 2 American  

  1. a suffix meaning “capable of, susceptible of, fit for, tending to, given to,” associated in meaning with the word able, occurring in loanwords from Latin (laudable ); used in English as a highly productive suffix to form adjectives by addition to stems of any origin (teachable; photographable ).

able 1 British  
/ ˈeɪbəl /

adjective

  1. (postpositive) having the necessary power, resources, skill, time, opportunity, etc, to do something

    able to swim

  2. capable; competent; talented

    an able teacher

  3. law qualified, competent, or authorized to do some specific act

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
-able 2 British  

suffix

  1. capable of, suitable for, or deserving of (being acted upon as indicated)

    enjoyable

    pitiable

    readable

    separable

    washable

  2. inclined to; given to; able to; causing

    comfortable

    reasonable

    variable
"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

Able, capable, competent all mean possessing adequate power for doing something. Able implies power equal to effort required: able to finish in time. Capable implies power to meet or fulfill ordinary requirements: a capable worker. Competent suggests power to meet demands in a completely satisfactory manner: a competent nurse.

Other Word Forms

  • -ability suffix
  • -ably suffix
  • overable adjective
  • overably adverb

Etymology

Origin of able1

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin habilis “handy,” equivalent to hab(ēre) “to have, hold” + -ilis adjective suffix; -ile

Origin of -able2

Middle English < Old French < Latin -ābilis, equivalent to -ā- final vowel of 1st conjugation v. stems + -bilis

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Using an image search, he was able to discover the profile photo of the doctor originated back to a woman shown in a Romanian bank advert.

From BBC

Since the social apes spend much of their time together, Pruetz is still able to observe the females and their young.

From Barron's

"She won here last year so I know coming in this would be a big fight. I'm glad I was able to get it done."

From Barron's

"Let's see if he's able to do 'crazy' this week. I hope he does because for the game that would be an unbelievable and special moment."

From Barron's

"Guernsey is a pretty amazing environment for people to be able to access things outside of medicine that can help prevent them needing to access medicine," he said.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.