marketability

IPA/ˌmɑːkɪtəˈbɪləti/
KK[mˌɑrkɪtəbˈɪlɪti]IPA/ˌmɑːrkɪtəˈbɪləti/

marketability — noun

1. how easy something — a product, service, or set of skills — is to sell, based on

1.nounC1
Definition

how easy something — a product, service, or set of skills — is to sell, based on how strongly customers or employers want it.

Example

Daichi tested the new smartphone case with focus groups to gauge its marketability.

noun + of [product] pattern; the marketability of [X]

A second language and basic coding skills greatly improved Nia's marketability after graduation.

collocation: improve / boost someone's marketability

Common collocations
  • improve / boost / enhance someone's marketability
  • the marketability of a product
  • damage / hurt marketability
  • questionable marketability
  • long-term marketability
Synonyms
  • saleability

    near-synonym; emphasises ease of selling a physical product rather than skills

  • commercial appeal

    broader; covers brand image and emotional pull, not just demand

  • viability

    wider — includes cost and feasibility, not only buyer demand

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

the marketability of [product/skill]

Usage Note

Almost always uncountable and usually preceded by a possessive or 'the … of' phrase. Subject of judgement is typically a product, service, property, brand, or a person's professional skills — not a person directly.

Common Mistakes

She has many marketabilities for the role.
Her skills give her strong marketability for the role.
the noun is uncountable; do not pluralise.
He is very marketability.
He is very marketable.' / 'His marketability is high.
use the adjective 'marketable' when describing a person, and the noun in a phrase like 'his marketability'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe how well something can succeed in the market, but they highlight different angles. 'Marketability' is the broadest — it covers products, services, and a person's skills, and focuses on how strongly buyers or employers want what is being offered. 'Saleability' is narrower; people normally apply it to physical goods or properties and stress the practical ease of closing a sale. 'Commercial appeal' is more about emotional pull and brand image — a film may have huge commercial appeal yet low marketability if the price is wrong. 'Viability' steps back even further and asks whether the whole business case adds up, including cost and competition. So you might say: a candidate has strong marketability, a house has good saleability, a sequel has clear commercial appeal, and the project as a whole has long-term viability.

marketability ↗saleabilitycommercial appealviability ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • marketability of a product
  • marketability of skills
  • loss of marketability

Adverbs

Phrases

  • lack of marketability
  • long-term marketability
  • questionable marketability

Prepositions

  • of (a product / skill)
  • for (a role / audience)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Built in English in the 18th century from the noun 'market' plus the suffixes '-able' (meaning 'fit for') and '-ity' (forming an abstract noun). So the whole word literally describes the state of being fit for the market — fit to be bought and sold.