capacity

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   The largest amount that a container, space, or system can hold or handle.

   Grammar: Often singular: the hall has a capacity of 500.

   Patterns

   • capacity of something
   • at capacity
   • to capacity

   The stadium has a capacity of 40,000.

   The bottle has a capacity of one liter.

   The hotel is already filled to capacity.

2. 2nouncountable

   The ability to do, understand, or experience something.

   Grammar: Usually followed by for or an infinitive: a capacity for kindness.

   Patterns

   • capacity for something
   • capacity to do something

   Children have a great capacity for learning.

   She has the capacity to remain calm in a crisis.

   His capacity for hard work impressed everyone.

3. 3nounsingularformal

   The position or role in which someone acts.

   Grammar: Used with in: in her capacity as manager.

   Patterns

   • in a capacity as something
   • in an official capacity

   She spoke in her capacity as school president.

   He works in an advisory capacity.

Word forms

Common combinations

filled to capacity

The theater was filled to capacity.

seating capacity

The seating capacity is 300.

capacity for

She has a capacity for hard work.

production capacity

The factory doubled its production capacity.

in an official capacity

He attended in an official capacity.

Synonyms and how they differ

volume

Volume is the amount of space something takes up, not the maximum it can hold.

ability

Ability is the general word for being able to do something.

role

Role fits the 'position' sense but is less formal.

Opposites

Word family

capable adjective

able to do something

capacious adjective

having plenty of room

incapacity noun

lack of ability

Commonly confused: capacity or capability?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “capacity”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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