Capacity — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun adjective /kə-ˈpa-sə-tē/ ca·pac·i·ty

Meaning & Definition of Capacity

Capacity (noun)

  1. legal competency or fitness
  2. the potential or suitability for holding, storing, or accommodating
  3. the maximum amount or number that can be contained or accommodated

Capacity (adjective)

  1. equaling maximum capacity

Capacity (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. the largest number or amount that something can hold

    "the seating capacity of the school auditorium is 800 people"

    similar: complement, cubage, real estate, volume
    related: burden, fill, fullness, load, measure, area, room, space, stowage

  2. an assignment at which one regularly works for pay

    "served in the capacity of the network's White House correspondent for a year"

    similar: appointment, berth, billet, connection, function, job, place, position, post, situation
    related: business, employ, employment, occupation, profession, work, office, spot, calling, pursuit, trade, vocation, line, racket, engagement, gig, livelihood, living, career, lifework, practice, duty, mission, posting, service, task
    near: avocation, joblessness, unemployment

  3. the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists

    "offered advice in his capacity as a lawyer"

    similar: business, function, job, part, place, position, purpose, role, task, work
    related: affair, concern, hand, involvement, participation, niche, office, post, situation, calling, occupation, pursuit, vocation, activity, assignment, charge, commission, duty, employ, mission, responsibility, service, use

  4. the physical or mental power to do something

    "not everyone has the capacity for learning higher math"

    similar: ability, capability, capableness, competence, competency, faculty
    related: aptitude, aptness, endowment, equipment, facility, gift, knack, talent, address, adroitness, deftness, dexterity, hand, prowess, skill, gray matter, instinct, intelligence, ken, reason, understanding, might, potency, puissance, staying power, stuff, adequacy, effectiveness, effectualness, fitness, form, influence, resourcefulness, usefulness, means, resources, wherewithal
    opposite: disability, inability, incapability, incapableness, incapacity, incompetence, incompetency, ineptitude, ineptness
    near: helplessness, impotence, paralysis, powerlessness, weakness, defectiveness, deficiency, inadequacy, inadequateness, ineffectiveness, ineffectuality, ineffectualness, inefficaciousness, inefficacy, uselessness, debilitation, disablement, impairment, incapacitation

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Capacity

The most common words with a similar meaning to Capacity:

complement, cubage, real estate, volume, appointment, berth, billet, connection, function, job, place, position, post, situation, business, part, purpose, role, task, work, ability, capability, capableness, competence, competency, faculty

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Capacity

Words with the opposite meaning of Capacity:

disability, inability, incapability, incapableness, incapacity, incompetence, incompetency, ineptitude, ineptness

Related Words for Capacity

burden, fill, fullness, load, measure, area, room, space, stowage, employ, employment, occupation, profession, office, spot, calling, pursuit, trade, vocation, line, racket, engagement, gig, livelihood, living, career, lifework, practice, duty, mission

Near Antonyms of Capacity

avocation, joblessness, unemployment, helplessness, impotence, paralysis, powerlessness, weakness, defectiveness, deficiency, inadequacy, inadequateness, ineffectiveness, ineffectuality, ineffectualness, inefficaciousness, inefficacy, uselessness, debilitation, disablement, impairment, incapacitation

Word Forms of Capacity

Inflections: capacities

Origin & Etymology of Capacity

Middle English capacite, from Middle French capacité, from Latin capacitat-, capacitas, from capac-, capax

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Capacity

Words & Phrases Containing Capacity

carrying capacity, vital capacity, fill to capacity

Frequently Asked Questions about Capacity

What does "Capacity" mean?

"Capacity" means legal competency or fitness. As an a noun and an adjective, it is defined as: legal competency or fitness. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Capacity"?

Other words for "Capacity" include complement, cubage, real estate, volume, appointment, berth, billet and connection. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Capacity" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Capacity"?

There are 106 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Capacity". Common alternatives include complement, cubage, real estate, volume, appointment, berth, billet, connection, function and job.

What is the opposite of "Capacity"?

Antonyms of "Capacity" include disability, inability, incapability, incapableness, incapacity, incompetence, incompetency and ineptitude. Near antonyms include avocation, joblessness, unemployment and helplessness.

How do you use "Capacity" in a sentence?

Examples of "Capacity" in a sentence: "the seating capacity of the school auditorium is 800 people"; "served in the capacity of the network's White House correspondent for a year"; "offered advice in his capacity as a lawyer".

Is "Capacity" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Capacity" can be used as a noun and an adjective, depending on the context.

Is "Capacity" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Capacity" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Capacity"?

"Capacity" is pronounced /kə-ˈpa-sə-tē/ and divided into syllables as ca·pac·i·ty.