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⇱ able - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

able

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈeɪbəl/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈeɪbəl/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(ā′bəl)

Inflections of 'able' (adj):
abler
adj comparative
ablest
adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
a•ble /ˈeɪbəl/USA pronunciation   adj. (for def. 2) a•bler, a•blest. 
  1. having the necessary power, skill, knowledge, or resources to do something:[be + ~ + to + verb]able to read music after just a few lessons.
  2. having or showing unusual talent, intelligence, skill, or knowledge:an able leader.
a•bly, adv. 
    able is an adjective that usually comes after some form of be, ably is an adverb, ability is a noun:John is able to run fast. He did the work ably and efficiently. John has the ability to run fast.See -habil-.
-able,  suffix. 
  1. -able is used to form adjectives from verbs, with the meaning "capable of, fit for, tending to'': teach + -able → teachable (= capable of being taught);
    photograph + -able → photographable = (fit for photographing).
Compare -ible.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
a•ble  (ā′bəl),USA pronunciation adj., a•bler, a•blest, n. 
adj. 
  1. having necessary power, skill, resources, or qualifications;
    qualified:able to lift a two-hundred-pound weight; able to travel widely;able to vote.
  2. having unusual or superior intelligence, skill, etc.:an able leader.
  3. showing talent, skill, or knowledge:an able speech.
  4. Lawlegally empowered, qualified, or authorized.

n. 
  1. Telecommunications(usually cap.) a code word formerly used in communications to represent the letter A.
  • Latin habilis handy, equivalent. to hab(ēre) to have, hold + -ilis -ile
  • Middle French
  • Middle English 1275–1325
    1. fit, fitted. 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. 2. talented; skilled, clever, ingenious. 3. apt.
    1. incompetent.
-able, 
  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    ).
Also, -ble, -ible. 
  • Latin -ābilis, equivalent. to -ā- final vowel of 1st conjugation verb, verbal stems + -bilis
  • Old French
  • Middle English

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
able /ˈeɪbəl/ adj
  1. (postpositive) having the necessary power, resources, skill, time, opportunity, etc, to do something
  2. capable; competent; talented
  3. qualified, competent, or authorized to do some specific act
Etymology: 14th Century: ultimately from Latin habilis easy to hold, manageable, apt, from habēre to have, hold + -ilis -ile
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
-able suffix forming adjectives
  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
Etymology: via Old French from Latin -ābilis,-ībilis, forms of -bilis, adjectival suffix-ably suffix forming adverbs -ability suffix forming nouns
'able' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: able to [walk, attend, eat, talk, understand, work], [she, the baby, the patient] is able to [walk], will not be able to [walk] (again), more...

Forum discussions with the word(s) "able" in the title:

- Now you should be able to hear me. - I should.
-tive/-able
... had have been able...
...able to and manage to
...but <had not been><was not> able to.
...by the end of the debate we will <have been><be> able to... [future perfect]
...have a true advantage in being able to accomplish...
...so she couldn't/wasn't able to write.
...were able to...
...will <have been><be> able to make... in the years 2004 and 2005. [future perfect]
'able knot'
'can' or 'will be able to'?
'Can' replacing 'be able to'
'Have not been able' or 'could not'
'I've been itching to be able to announce this'
'S fer 's yer able.
'were able to smell'?
'Would I be able'
“Be Able to Have” With a Past Participle When Referring to a Possible Past Action
[Able for you to] come
[pronunciation] Got to (was able to) → gotta?
[Third conditional] I wouldn’t have been able to come, anyway. I had to take care of some stuff.
[would be able to] in 3rd and 2nd mixed conditionals
A letter can(=is able to) be sent.
a place I am able to relax myself is <in> Hanoi
a small number of men would be able to wield such power
A strong <able/expert><steem/current>
Ability / became able to
Ability in the past: could or was/were able to
able
more...

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