Antonyms for able
| Grammar : Adj |
| Spell : ey-buhl |
| Phonetic Transcription : ˈeɪ bəl |
Definition of able
Origin :- early 14c., from Old French (h)able (14c.), from Latin habilem, habilis "easily handled, apt," verbal adjective from habere "to hold" (see habit). "Easy to be held," hence "fit for a purpose." The silent h- was dropped in English and resisted academic attempts to restore it 16c.-17c., but some derivatives acquired it (e.g. habiliment, habilitate), via French.
- Able-whackets - A popular sea-game with cards, in which the loser is beaten over the palms of the hands with a handkerchief tightly twisted like a rope. Very popular with horny-fisted sailors. [Smyth, "Sailor's Word-Book," 1867]
- adj capable of performing; having an innate capacity
- adj able to perform well; having a proven capacity
Synonyms for able
- accomplished
- adept
- adequate
- adroit
- agile
- alert
- apt
- artful
- au fait
- bright
- brilliant
- capable
- clever
- competent
- cunning
- deft
- dexterous
- easy
- effective
- effectual
- efficient
- effortless
- endowed
- equal to
- equipped
- experienced
- expert
- facile
- fitted
- gifted
- good
- ingenious
- intelligent
- keen
- know backwards and forwards
- know one's onions
- know the ropes
- knowing
- learned
- masterful
- masterly
- powerful
- practiced
- prepared
- proficient
- qualified
- ready
- responsible
- savvy
- sharp
- skilled
- skillful
- smart
- strong
- talented
- there
- trained
- up to it
- up to snuff
- up to speed
- with it
- worthy
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019