Ability and Means

Ability

Ability noun - The physical or mental power to do something.

Usage example: as a result of the accident the once-vigorous athlete lost the ability to walk

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Means and ability are semantically related. in capacity topic. In some cases you can use "Means" instead a noun "Ability".

Nearby Word: able

Means noun - How a result is obtained or an end is achieved.

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Ability and means are semantically related. Sometimes you can use "Ability" instead a noun "Means".

Nearby Words: mean, meaning

human	human ability	human means
good	good ability	good means
physical	physical ability	physical means
special	special ability	special means
Other adjectives: best, better, similar, normal, common, natural, certain, standard, powerful, actual, real, little, main, supernatural, new, apparent, primary, different, magical.

The Doctor, on the other hand, found himself with the means and ability to wipe out the Daleks forever.

Source: Recap / Doctor Who S12 E4 "Genesis of the Daleks"
He has the means and the ability to do so, but for whatever reason, it's not the right time.

Source: Delaying the Rescue
Common sense dictates that anyone pointing an empty gun at somebody guaranteed to have both the means and ability to shoot back is either Too Dumb to Live or trying to die.

Source: Strawman Has a Point

Cite this Source

Means and Ability. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 16, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/ability/means

Ability & Means. N.p., 2016. Web. 16 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/ability/means>.

Means or Ability. 2016. Accessed August 16, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/ability/means.

Google Ngram Viewer shows how "ability" and "means" have occurred on timeline