capable
Equal to tasks
Capable means having the ability or qualities needed to do something: a capable administrator, capable of great kindness.
It suggests competence and reliability without implying excellence—a capable person gets the job done.
When followed by "of," it can take on darker tones: capable of murder, capable of anything.
The word often damns with faint praise; calling someone merely capable suggests they lack brilliance.
Meeting necessary standards
- proficientHaving practiced ability
- adeptHighly capable, well-versed
- skilledHaving learned ability
- experiencedHaving practical knowledge gained
knowledgeable · trained · expert · talented · accomplished · practiced · masterful · veteran
Generating useful output
- effectiveProducing intended results
- systematicFollowing ordered procedures
- streamlinedMade smooth and efficient
- optimizedMade maximally efficient
reliable · dependable · consistent · methodical · thorough · organized · diligent · meticulous
Solidly built, durable
- durableAble to withstand use
- strongHaving great physical power
- resilientAble to recover quickly
- hardyAble to endure difficulty
rugged · tough · powerful · solid · reliable · vigorous · substantial · well-built
Showing original thought
- ingeniousCleverly original in design
- creativeProducing original ideas
- innovativeIntroducing new ideas
- cleverShowing mental quickness
shrewd · enterprising · imaginative · strategic · cunning · quick-thinking · adaptable · self-reliant
Showing signs of success
- latentPresent but inactive
- undevelopedNot fully formed
- unrealizedNot made actual
- emergentNewly come into existence
nascent · budding · dormant · fledgling · incipient · developing · aspiring · up-and-coming
qualified
Meeting necessary standards
- proficientHaving practiced ability
- adeptHighly capable, well-versed
- skilledHaving learned ability
experienced · knowledgeable · trained · expert · talented · accomplished · practiced · masterful · veteran · dexterous
productive
Generating useful output
- effectiveProducing intended results
- systematicFollowing ordered procedures
- streamlinedMade smooth and efficient
optimized · reliable · dependable · consistent · methodical · thorough · organized · diligent · meticulous · steady
sturdy
Solidly built, durable
hardy · rugged · tough · powerful · solid · reliable · vigorous · substantial · well-built · stalwart
inventive
Showing original thought
- ingeniousCleverly original in design
- creativeProducing original ideas
- innovativeIntroducing new ideas
clever · shrewd · enterprising · imaginative · strategic · cunning · quick-thinking · adaptable · self-reliant · improvising
promising
Showing signs of success
- latentPresent but inactive
- undevelopedNot fully formed
- unrealizedNot made actual
emergent · nascent · budding · dormant · fledgling · incipient · developing · aspiring · up-and-coming · raw
- complimentssmart, talented, beautiful, funny, awesome
- intelligencesmart, IQ, memory, bright, clever
- skilled traitsexpert, skilled, adept, proficient, masterful
- efficientefficient, streamlined, optimized, effective, productive
- qualitiesgood, bad, better, best, useful
- versatileversatile, well-rounded, multitalented, all-rounder, multifaceted
capableincapable
Lacking requisite ability
incompetent · unable · inept · unqualified · unskilled
capableinexperienced
Lacking practical knowledge
untrained · unprepared · green · raw · unseasoned
capableineffective
Lacking power to achieve
useless · feeble · ineffectual · weak · futile
- Capability BrownEighteenth-century landscape designer
- off-road capabilityAbility to traverse unpaved terrain
capability, incapable, capably, capabilities, incapability, capableness, incapabilities