facility

noun

fa·​cil·​i·​ty fə-ˈsi-lə-tē How to pronounce facility (audio)
plural facilities
1
: the quality of being easily performed
2
: ease in performance : aptitude
has a great facility for writing
3
: readiness of compliance
4
a(1)
: something that makes an action, operation, or course of conduct easier
usually used in plural
facilities for study
The resort has a wide range of facilities for young and old alike.
(2)
: lavatory sense 2
often used in plural
b
: something (such as a hospital) that is built, installed, or established to serve a particular purpose

Examples of facility in a Sentence

The facilities are at the end of the corridor. He had a great facility for writing. He had great facility with words. She handled the crisis with facility.
Recent Examples on the Web Point Loma should perhaps just create another similarly sized facility that wasn’t near so many businesses and homes, Hollingworth said. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 What’s more, some sellers already own or lease their own warehouse for long term storage, or have long term commitments with a third party logistics company that manages a storage facility for them. Jason Del Rey, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024 Strom researched less expensive facilities to move her eggs to but didn’t want to risk potential damage or something going wrong. Amber Ferguson, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 That daytime Golden Vines experience took place in the facility’s Crown Center rather than the players’ locker room. Diane Garrett, Variety, 15 Mar. 2024 The new law authorizes the Indiana Department of Child Services to investigate claims of abuse at residential facilities involving youth between the ages of 18 and 21. The Indianapolis Star, 14 Mar. 2024 Hours later, one of the women called the facility with details that led authorities to make the positive ID of Layman. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 Todd was originally sentenced to 12 years at Florida’s Federal Prison Camp Pensacola and Julie seven years at Kentucky’s Federal Medical Center in Lexington, but both their sentences have been incrementally reduced, according to their respective facilities’ databases. Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 The 8-year-old Entertainment and Sports Arena is home to the WNBA’s Washington Mystics and the NBA G-league’s Capital City Go-Go and also serves as the Wizards’ practice facility. Ashraf Khalil, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'facility.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English facilite "gentleness," borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French facilité "quality of being easily performed," borrowed from Latin facilitāt-, facilitās, from facilis "easy, facile" + -itāt-, -itās -ity

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of facility was in 1531

Dictionary Entries Near facility

Cite this Entry

“Facility.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/facility. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

facility

noun
fa·​cil·​i·​ty fə-ˈsil-ət-ē How to pronounce facility (audio)
plural facilities
1
: freedom from difficulty : ease
handled with facility
2
: skill and ease in doing something
a great facility for writing well
3
a
: something that makes an action, operation, or activity easier
usually used in plural
facilities for study
b
: something (as a hospital) that is put up for a particular purpose

Medical Definition

facility

noun
fa·​cil·​i·​ty fə-ˈsil-ət-ē How to pronounce facility (audio)
plural facilities
1
: the quality of being easily performed
2
: ease in performance : aptitude
3
: something (as a hospital) that is built, installed, or established to serve a particular purpose

More from Merriam-Webster on facility

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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