usability

noun

us·​abil·​i·​ty ˌyü-zə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

: the quality or state of being usable : ease of use

When netbooks arrived a couple of years ago, they were so tiny, only spider monkeys would find them usable. But as they've inched up in size and usability, their sales have taken off.

—David Pogue

One of the other great problems of computer software is preoccupation with bells and whistles, rather than usability. Even software that began as easily usable can evolve over time into something so burdened with complicated (and trivial) features that it is a challenge to figure out how to do the simplest thing.

—Thomas Sowell

Examples of usability in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Gas mileage, price, comfort, design, storage and capacity, usability all get perfect marks in Grasso’s Garage as the new GMC Acadia Denali checks all consumer wants and needs for a great price. —Marc D Grasso, Hartford Courant, 15 Feb. 2025

Jobs championed minimalism and clarity in design and user interface, recognizing that simplicity enhances usability. —IEEE Spectrum, 10 Feb. 2025

Many of these sources are contaminated with agricultural pollutants, untreated waste and other substances, further reducing the usability of available water. —Gabriel Eckstein, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2025

Her ability to bridge abstract artistic concepts with engineering principles sets Clone’s designs apart: the result is a robot that not only performs human-like actions but also does so with an elegance that enhances its usability and approachability. —Ethan Stone, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for usability

• affability
• audibility
• bistability
• capability
• changeability
• contractility
• credibility
• culpability
• disability
• disutility
• durability
• fallibility