mobility

noun

mo·​bil·​i·​ty mō-ˈbi-lə-tē 

1

: the quality or state of being mobile or movable

… its efforts were supported by the cavalry which … compensated for the infantry's lack of mobility.

—R. M. Ogorkiewicz

… it becomes cost-effective and socially advantageous to provide urban mobility by means of metros: urban rail mass transit systems on exclusive rights-of-way.

—Michael A Niedzielski et al.

: ability or capacity to move

… the physical challenges of vision loss, hearing loss, and reduced mobility.

—Vicki Bloom and Benjamin B. Green-Field

When large doses of steroids restored mobility, they also created irritability, insatiable appetite, and facial hair …

—Whitney Scott

2

: the ability to change one's social or socioeconomic position in a community and especially to improve it

A large body of academic research shows that inequality and lack of social mobility hurt not just those at the bottom; they hurt everyone.

—Rana Foroohar

The mythology of the American Dream has made it difficult to start a serious conversation about how to create more opportunity in our society, since many of us still believe that our mobility is the result of our elbow grease and nothing more.

—Rana Foroohar

see also upward mobility

Examples of mobility in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

According to the Express, the first residents are scheduled to move in by the end of this year to allow experts to gather data on the city’s mobility patterns. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 24 June 2024

People should pay special attention to those who are more vulnerable, said Turner-Bicknell, which includes children, the elderly and those with mobility issues or mental illness. —Elizabeth B. Kim, The Enquirer, 20 June 2024

Related article Record number of anti-LGBTQ bills were introduced in 2023 Several victims who were shot but survived have required surgery for their injuries and continue to face medical challenges, including loss of mobility and post-traumatic stress disorder. —Andi Babineau, CNN, 18 June 2024

At its core, this is a transportation project that will dramatically improve mobility throughout the region. —Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 17 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mobility

• micro-mobility
• mobility scooter
• upward mobility