capable
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
having the ability, power, or qualities to do something well.
possessing the necessary skills, intelligence, or fitness to perform a task effectively.
Simple“The new manager is very capable and has already improved the team's results.”
In context“The department requires a highly capable administrator who can navigate complex regulatory frameworks while maintaining staff morale.”
UsageUsually followed by the preposition 'of' when describing a specific action.
PitfallShe is capable to do the job. She is capable of doing the job.The adjective 'capable' is followed by the preposition 'of' and a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive.
Antonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
having the qualities needed for a certain development or treatment.
having the susceptibility or capacity for a specified treatment, improvement, or interpretation.
Simple“This old house is capable of improvement if you have the budget.”
In context“The legal text is capable of several different interpretations, which has led to significant confusion in the lower courts.”
UsageAlmost always used in the pattern 'capable of [noun]'.
Synonymssusceptibleopen to
Usage capable of playing · capable of creating · capable of performing
“In Rio, Flávio Bolsonaro praised Trump’s decision to target the Brazilian crime groups and said he was the only politician capable of “sitting down with the US”.”
“He told the BBC that as models become more capable, more must be done to secure the environments where they are tested.”
Borrowed from Middle French capable, from Late Latin capābilis.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.