All words

capacity

Meaning

The maximum amount that something can contain or produce.

Examples by difficulty

Basic: Simple, everyday vocabulary — the easiest to read.

When we arrived at the theater, we saw a sign that said it was filled to capacity. This meant that every seat was taken and there was no more room for anyone else. Some people looked disappointed because they could not go inside to watch the movie.

The water jug was so full, water was starting to spill over the sides. I knew its capacity had been reached; no more could fit inside.

The small boat creaked under the weight of too many people. Sarah watched nervously as it sank lower into the water, approaching its capacity. If one more person stepped aboard, they would all be in serious trouble, and the murky river seemed to wait, ready to swallow them whole.

When Leo tried to fill his bathtub with jellybeans, he ignored its capacity and just kept pouring. By the time he finished, jellybeans rolled down the hallway, past his mom, and into the neighbor’s shoes. Next time, Leo should learn what "capacity" means—or buy smaller bags of candy!

My pet goldfish, Bartholomew, has a truly shocking capacity for popcorn. He somehow inhaled a whole bag in one gulp! I didn't think anything could hold that much, but Bartholomew proved me wrong with his amazing, buttery capacity.

Normal: Standard, everyday language.

I went to the store, but it was closed. capacity I was really disappointed because I was looking forward to buying a new shirt. capacity Particularly, I needed a new white shirt for my interview tomorrow. capacity The store's capacity for shirts is really low and they sell out fast. capacity I'll have to try again tomorrow, but I doubt they'll have any more in stock.

I was not aware of my own capacity for love until I fell in love for the first time. Suddenly, I recognized that I was capable of feeling much more deeply and strongly than I had ever imagined. This new capacity for love transformation my life in profound and wonderful ways. I am grateful to have recognized my capacity for love.

The fuel tank on my car has a capacity of 16 gallons. When it gets down to the last 2 gallons, the warning light comes on. On a long road trip, I always fill up when the warning light comes on so that I don't run out of gas.

The human brain has the capacity to store a enormouse amount of information. On average, an adult human brain has the capacity to store the equivalent of 2.5 petabytes of information. That's 2,500,000 gigabytes or 2.5 trillion megabytes. In comparison, the world's largest digital memorychip can store only about a terabyte of information. We know that the brain can store this much information because people with highly superior autobiographical memory can recall extraordinary amounts of detail from their lives, far beyond what would be expected given the capacity of their brain's working memory.

The maximum capacity of the human brain is actually unknown. Some scientists believe that we only use a small percentage of our brain's capacity. If we could access the full capacity, we might become actual gods. Or we might go insane from the sheer overload of information. No one knows for sure.

Advanced: Richer vocabulary that stretches an upper-level reader.

The water tank reached its capacity during the heavy rain, and soon it began to overflow. Watching the water spill onto the ground, Sarah realized there was simply no more space left inside for even a single drop. That was truly the maximum it could contain.

He stared at the empty pitcher, a knot forming in his stomach. It could hold ten liters, a significant capacity, but his parched throat demanded more. He desperately hoped it was enough for everyone.

The auditorium was packed, with every seat taken and people crowding the aisles. When the fire marshal arrived and declared the space was well beyond its safe capacity, the event organizers quickly realized they needed to turn some ticket holders away to prevent potential danger.

When my cousin tried to bake cookies for the entire neighborhood, she quickly learned her tiny oven’s capacity was not infinite. Soon, dough overflowed like an erupting volcano, proving there’s only so much chaos one appliance can contain before the smoke alarm becomes a dinner bell.

Bartholomew crammed the last gargantuan pickle into the jar, his brow glistening with exertion. He’d sworn this particular vessel possessed an extraordinary capacity for brine, a culinary dimension previously uncharted. Alas, the lid stubbornly refused to embrace its contents, a testament to Bartholomew's ambitious, if somewhat overzealous, preservation.

Challenging: Rare, high-register vocabulary for serious word lovers.

As the stadium filled with eager fans, the security team grew anxious about reaching the venue's capacity. The rush of people threatened to overwhelm the entryways, and organizers worried about exceeding the maximum amount that the building could contain safely. The tension in the air was palpable.

The exhausted rescue team surveyed the diminishing supplies. Water was dwindling, and the grim realization settled in that their current provisions couldn't meet the prolonged demands. The tank's limited capacity meant they were dangerously close to their breaking point, with little recourse.

The water tower loomed over the parched town, its immense capacity promising relief from weeks of drought. When the valve finally opened, residents watched in awe as thousands of gallons surged through pipes, knowing this reservoir could sustain their community through the scorching summer.

At the annual town bake-off, Gertrude gleefully attempted to carry all ninety-seven cupcakes in a single, precarious tray, blissfully ignoring both physics and the tray’s capacity—the maximum amount it could contain—before the inevitable, majestic cupcake avalanche initiated a chain reaction of frosting-induced chaos.

My stomach's capacity, a veritable abyss, could probably accommodate the entirety of a Michelin-starred banquet, plus a small, bewildered whale. I suspect it possesses the gravitational pull to ensnare stray canapés and perhaps even the hopes and dreams of pastry chefs nationwide.

Difficulty

Basic — Common words most learners already know.

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