# applicability

/ˌæpɫəkəˈbɪɫəti/ (US) · /ɐplˌɪkəbˈɪlɪti/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/applicability
Updated: 2026-05-19

## Definition

the quality of being suitable or useful for a specific purpose. You use this to describe how well a rule, law, or idea fits a particular situation.

For teachers: the quality of being suitable or applicable to a particular situation or purpose. Often used in legal or technical contexts to describe the scope of a rule.

## Examples

- The new law has limited applicability to small businesses.
- The researchers discussed the applicability of their findings to real-world medical settings.
- While the theory works well in controlled environments, its applicability to complex, real-world systems remains a subject of intense debate among the scientific community.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.