ability and power share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. ability means “the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment”. power means “possession of controlling influence”. power is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/əˈbɪləˌti/
1.n.the quality of being able to perform; a quality that permits or facilitates achievement or accomplishment
2.n.possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done
“danger heightened his powers of discrimination”
/ˈpaʊɚ/
1.n.possession of controlling influence
“the deterrent power of nuclear weapons”
2.n.(physics) the rate of doing work; measured in watts (= joules/second)
3.n.possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done
“danger heightened his powers of discrimination”
| ability | power | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /əˈbɪləˌti/ | /ˈpaʊɚ/ |
| Said | uh-BIL-uh-tee | POW-ur |
| Syllables | 4 | 2 |
| Letters | 7 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 2 | 11 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | none recorded | powerfulness |
Full entry for ability · Full entry for power · More comparisons