English Reference
Noun

viability

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US /vaɪəˈbɪɫəti/ UK /vˌaɪəbˈɪlɪti/ vi·a·bil·i·ty UK spelling viabilities

n.the ability of something to work successfully or stay alive. You use this to talk about whether a plan, a business, or a living thing can actually survive in the long run.

n.the capacity for survival, continued existence, or successful operation. Often refers to the practical feasibility of a project or the biological ability of an organism to develop normally.


SIMPLE

The bank is questioning the financial viability of the new restaurant.

CONTEXTUAL

Engineers are currently testing the economic viability of using solar panels to power the entire factory complex.

COMPLEX

The committee expressed serious doubts regarding the long-term viability of the proposal, citing a lack of consistent funding and insufficient public interest as primary obstacles to its success.

Usage

Frequently paired with 'economic', 'commercial', or 'financial' to describe business potential.

Usage economic viability

I’m hoping that they will.” Antjuan Seawright , a Democratic strategist in South Carolina, suggests that Ocasio-Cortez’s national viability depends on her remaining a disciplined team player who addresses universal, kitchen-table concerns.

The Guardian· 15 Aug 2026

With part 2 of this series, we want to see if we can put some rough numbers on the true viability of orbital data centers in general and SpaceX’s concept in particular.

Ars Technica· 15 Jul 2026

From viable + -ity.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Frequent
Updated