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military capability

military capability

12 5.5
How strong a country's armed forces are, shown by soldiers, weapons, and readiness
  • noun
  • /ˈmɪlɪˌtɛri ˌkeɪpəˈbɪlɪti/
translation icon : capacidad militar
  • The PRC lacks the military capability to invade Taiwan now or in the near future.
  • conventional military capability
  • strengthen its military capability
  • U.S. military capability

We haven't seen Iran use its military capability against the United States.

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Examples

  • A feast or famine approach will not build sustainable military capability in the long run.

    Blog text (33)

  • Confronted by increased naval and military capabilities in China and Korea, Japan is reconsidering its prior dependence.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Developing military capability is an important issue for us, seeing as how developments have come about.

    Harvard University

  • None of them want to cut military capabilities very deeply.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The French and German governments also want to develop an independent military capability that can operate without U.S. participation or consent.

    Academic text (1997)

  • We haven't seen Iran use its military capability against the United States.

    The Prof G Pod – Scott Galloway

  • The armed forces had grown significantly, increasing the center's military capability compared with that of the armed tribes.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Given China's size and resources, Taiwan cannot achieve security based solely on its military capabilities.

    Academic text (2001)

  • While this new military capability will add a new dimension to deterrence, it also has significant limitations.

    Academic text (1991)

  • The country is investing heavily to enhance its military capability to ensure national security.

Synonyms

strength
vsmilitary capability
  • Specialized
53 5.2

The number of soldiers and equipment in a military force

also includes readiness and operational ability beyond mere numbers
posture
vsmilitary capability
21 7.7

How ready a military force is to face threats

is specific to a country's armed forces and ability to conduct war operations
military machine
vsmilitary capability
7 4.0

A country's armed forces that work together to fight wars

describes measurable ability in personnel, equipment, and readiness instead of image
military strength
vsmilitary capability
5 4.3

The power of a country's armed forces to fight

places extra focus on readiness rather than just numbers and resources
military posture
vsmilitary capability
  • Formal
1 7.3

The state of a country's armed forces, their strength and ability to fight

emphasizes concrete ability to conduct operations rather than general state

How Capable

military capability
12 5.5

Surface Forms

military capability singular
military capabilities plural

Morphology

military + capability

The phrase is a straightforward composition of 'military' (relating to armed forces) and 'capability' (ability or capacity), so its meaning — the armed forces' ability to operate — is directly derivable from the parts. This adjective+noun combination is cross-linguistically common and not idiomatic, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.

Etymology

Military capability gives a simple picture: military means the soldiers and equipment, and capability means what they can do. So, the phrase means the 'ability' of a country's armed forces to act or 'fight a war' when needed.