Synonyms for able

23 synonyms
7 antonyms

adjective

Most common

All synonyms

Adjective

capable, competent, good, qualified, proficient, gifted, talented, quick, skillful US, skilful UK, fit, strong, accomplished, adequate, skilled, efficient, ingenious, effective, fitted, expert, consummate, clever, able-bodied

Antonyms

unable, incapable, incompetent

All antonyms of able →

Definitions

adj. 1
Having the necessary powers or the needed resources to accomplish a task.
She is able to lift the box without assistance.

Related words

Word family: able-bodied able-bodism able-bodyist ableism ableist ableness ably abled
Phrases: be able to able seaman

Choose the right word

Able or Capable?

Able and capable suggest general ability and reserved power, able being the higher word of the two. An able man will do something well in any position.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

capable He is capable of teaching both English and French.
qualified Guatemala was once qualified as a banana republic.
competent Could you find me a couple of competent mechanics?
proficient Which foreign language are you most proficient in?

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
able		steady
capable		steady
qualified		falling
competent		falling
proficient		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: fit¹
4 letters: good¹
5 letters: quick¹
6 letters: strong¹, expert², clever², fitted², gifted²
7 letters: capable³, skilled¹, skilful
8 letters: talented³, adequate³, skillful²
9 letters: effective³, qualified³, efficient³, competent³, ingenious³
10 letters: proficient³, consummate³
12 letters: accomplished³

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (expert² = 2 syllables).