# availability

/əˌveɪɫəˈbɪɫəti/ (US) · /ɐvˌeɪləbˈɪlɪti/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/availability
Updated: 2026-07-22

## Senses

### 1. being free to use or buy

noun · CEFR B2

the fact that something is ready to be used or can be bought.

For teachers: the state of being obtainable or accessible for use or purchase.

- The manager apologized for the limited availability of fresh fruit during the winter.
- The widespread availability of high-speed internet has fundamentally transformed how rural communities access educational resources and government services.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'of' followed by the resource.

### 2. a person's schedule

noun · CEFR B2

the time when someone is free to talk to you or do a job.

For teachers: the state of being free from other commitments and thus able to be met or consulted.

- Please let me know your availability for a short phone call next Tuesday.
- The consultant's limited availability meant that the project deadline had to be pushed back by several weeks.

Usage: Commonly used in professional correspondence regarding scheduling.

Teaching tip: In business English, asking for someone's 'availability' is more formal and polite than asking 'when are you free?'

## Examples

- Please check the availability of the meeting room for tomorrow.
- The manager asked for everyone's availability before scheduling the team-building workshop for next month.
- The widespread availability of high-speed internet has fundamentally altered how people consume media, shifting the focus from physical ownership to digital access.

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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.