Capability
Capability noun - Something that can develop or become actual.
Usage example: there are great capabilities in the property, either as a bed-and-breakfast or as a private home
Potential is a synonym for capability in ability topic. In some cases you can use "Potential" instead a noun "Capability", when it comes to topics like ability to perform. popular alternative
Potential
Potential noun - Something that can develop or become actual.
Usage example: a time when cloning was merely a potential and the stuff of science fiction
Capability is a synonym for potential in ability topic. You can use "Capability" instead a noun "Potential", if it concerns topics such as promise, possibility for achievement. popular alternative
Mutual synonyms
Related pairs
- ability and capability
- ability and potential
- skill and capability
- skill and potential
- talent and capability
- talent and potential
- capacity and capability
- capacity and potential
- power and capability
- power and potential
- facility and capability
- facility and potential
- promise and capability
- promise and potential
How words are described
| human | human capability | human potential |
| high | high capability | high potential |
| physical | physical capability | physical potential |
| full | full capability | full potential |
| Other adjectives: better, offensive, strong, powerful, actual, real, massive, innate, magic, incredible, destructive, limited, military, highest, amazing, greater, maximum, greatest, magical, defensive. | ||
Both words in one sentence
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While they have the capability to go off-world, even before considering their potential for superpowers, it's considered extremely distasteful to do so.
Source: Film / Man of Steel - Since All Girls Want Bad Boys, after all, increasing the badass potential of a character has the secondary effect of making him more attractive to women without having to sacrifice any capability.
Source: Marty Stu -
Mechanical Evolution: Done rather uniquely; all Reploids are 'replica androids' derived from the titular X, who was designed with 'limitless potential,' the capability to evolve to (hopefully) overcome any obstacle he was presented with.
Source: Video Game / Mega Man X
Cite this Source
Potential and Capability. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/capability/potential
Capability & Potential. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/capability/potential>.
Potential or Capability. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/capability/potential.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "capability" and "potential" have occurred on timeline