able-bodied

a·ble-bod·ied
US/ˈeɪ.bl̩ˌbɑ.did/

adjective

Having a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust; fit for service.

“Unfair discrimination between the able-bodied and the disabled is illegal in many places.”

Similar
abledenabledablefit
Opposite
disabled
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Meanings

adjectiveable-bodied (comparative more able-bodied, superlative most able-bodied)

comparative more able-bodied · superlative most able-bodied

  1. Having a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust; fit for service.

    A servant determinately idle, leaving his work, or an able-bodied vagrant, roaming the country without means of honest self-support and without seeking employment, was to be brought before the two nearest magistrates.

    1893, James Anthony Froude, History of England from the Fall of Wolsey to the Defeat of the Spanish Armada
    1 more example

    It’s little wonder that Spanish invaders, led by Hernán Cortés, so easily conquered the Aztecs. By the time they arrived, most of the able-bodied men were dead either from having their hearts yanked out or falling off the pyramid.

    2005, Annabelle du Fouet, “The murky world from whence it all came” (chapter 2), in Weather Balloons Make Rotten Sex Toys, Ellora's Cave, →ISBN, page 48
  2. Not disabled; having no physical disability.

    Unfair discrimination between the able-bodied and the disabled is illegal in many places.

    Synonyms: abled, enabled · Antonyms: disabled

  3. nauticalCapable of performing all requisite duties as a seaman, specifically in the Royal Navy, a rating between leading and ordinary.

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveNot disabled; having no physical disability.

Similar
abledenabled
Opposite
disabled

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivehaving a strong healthy body

Similar
ablefit
Also see
ablebuilt like a brick shithousedicedfitstrappingswoletonk

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From able body + -ed.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan robust, apte per al servei
  • robusthaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • apte per al serveihaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
Danish arbejdsfør
  • arbejdsførhaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
Dutch volwaardig, lichamelijk geschikt
  • volwaardighaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • lichamelijk geschikthaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • validehaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • robusthaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • volslagen(Nautical)
  • bevaren(Nautical)
Finnish palveluskelpoinen, kenttäkelpoinen
  • palveluskelpoinenhaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • kenttäkelpoinenhaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • työkykyinenhaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • tervehaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • kynnelle kykenevähaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
French robuste, solide
  • robustehaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • solidehaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • bon pour le servichaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
Irish infheidhme
  • infheidhmehaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
Māori mārōrō, marohi
  • mārōrōhaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • marohihaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • mārohirohihaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
Portuguese pessoa sem deficiência, não-deficiente
  • pessoa sem deficiênciahaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • não-deficientehaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • capazhaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
  • robustohaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
Spanish sin discapacidad
  • sin discapacidadhaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
Swedish arbetsför
  • arbetsförhaving a sound, strong body; physically competent; robust
Cite this entry
APA

able-bodied. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/able-bodied

MLA

“able-bodied.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/able-bodied. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “able-bodied,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/able-bodied.

Source: able-bodied on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.