What does "able" mean?
The letter "A" in Navy Phonetic Alphabet.
Able
/ˈeɪ.bl̩/ adj, name, noun, verb
adj, name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The letter "A" in Navy Phonetic Alphabet.
- Grammar: able is listed as adj, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: capable, able-bodied, adapted, adept.
- Useful contrasts: disqualified, incapable, incompetent.
- Usage evidence: Any universe simple enough to be understood is too simple to produce a mind able to understand it.
How to use "able"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "able" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "able" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "able" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "able" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "able" is acting as adj, name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "capable" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "able", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The letter "A" in Navy Phonetic Alphabet. uncountable
- 2 radiotelephony clear-code word for the letter A.
Verb
- 1 To make ready. obsolete, transitive
- 2 To make capable; to enable. obsolete, transitive
- 3 To dress. obsolete, transitive
- 4 To give power to; to reinforce; to confirm. obsolete, transitive
- 5 To vouch for; to guarantee. obsolete, transitive
"None does offend, none....I’ll able ’em."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 present participle and gerund of can form-of, gerund, participle, present
"I might be able to go."
Adjective
- 1 Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task.
"She is able to lift the box without assistance."
- 2 Free from constraints preventing completion of task; permitted to; not prevented from.
"In a democratic world you'd be able to say what you thought wherever you were."
- 3 Gifted with skill, intelligence, knowledge, or competence.
"The chairman was also an able sailor."
- 4 Legally qualified or competent.
"He is able to practice law in six states."
- 5 Capable of performing all the requisite duties; as an able seaman.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 Having the physical strength; robust; healthy. dialectal, obsolete
"After the past week of forced marches, only half the men are fully able."
- 7 Easy to use. obsolete
"As the hands are the most habil parts of the body..."
- 8 Suitable; competent. obsolete
"[…] and for every able man servant that he or she shall carry or send armed and provided as aforesaid, ninety acres of land of like measure."
- 9 Liable to. dialectal, obsolete
- 10 Rich; well-to-do. obsolete
"He was born to an able family."
Adjective
- 1 (usually followed by ‘to’) having the necessary means or skill or know-how or authority to do something wordnet
- 2 having inherent physical or mental ability or capacity wordnet
- 3 have the skills and qualifications to do things well wordnet
- 4 having a strong healthy body wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname.
- 2 Acronym of Achieving a Better Life Experience, a savings account for people with disabilities. US, abbreviation, acronym, alt-of
"This provision permanently allows designated beneficiaries who make qualified contributions to their ABLE account to qualify for the Saver’s Credit."
Example
"Any universe simple enough to be understood is too simple to produce a mind able to understand it."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "able"?
Common synonyms include: capable, able-bodied, adapted, adept, adequate, adjusted.
How do you use "able" in a sentence?
Any universe simple enough to be understood is too simple to produce a mind able to understand it.
How do you pronounce "able"?
Pronounced /ˈeɪ.bl̩/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English able, from Old Northern French able, variant of Old French abile, habile, from Latin habilis (“easily managed, held, or handled; apt; skillful”). Broadly ousted the native Old English magan (modern English may and might), which has taken a different meaning.
Etymology 2
From Middle English ablen, from Middle English able (adjective).
Etymology 3
From the first letter of the word. Suggested in the 1916 United States Army Signal Book to distinguish the letter when communicating via telephone, and later adopted in other radio and telephone signal standards.