viability

/ˌvaɪəˈbɪləti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌvaɪəˈbɪləti/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌvī-ə-ˈbi-lə-tē/ (ame, mw)

viability — noun

1. the quality of a plan, project, or business of being realistic and likely to suc

1.名詞B2
釋義

the quality of a plan, project, or business of being realistic and likely to succeed when put into practice

例句

Vikram questioned the viability of opening a second café so soon after the first one.

viability of + gerund phrase

The bank's loan officer reviewed the viability of the start-up before approving the funding.

reviewed the viability of + noun phrase

同義詞
  • feasibility

    more common in everyday planning; slightly less formal than 'viability'

  • practicability

    more formal and narrower; focuses on whether something can be done, not whether it will succeed

  • workability

    less common; emphasizes smooth functioning rather than overall success

反義詞
  • impracticality

    the state of being unrealistic or unlikely to work in practical terms

  • infeasibility

    the state of not being possible or achievable

文法句型

viability of [noun phrase]

用法筆記

Nearly always used in formal or professional contexts such as business, finance, and project planning. The noun is uncountable, so it never takes an article in generic use ('the viability of' rather than 'a viability of').

常見錯誤

❌The viability of the plan is not enough.
✅The plan lacks viability.
💡'viability' is a quality something has or lacks; it is not something that can be measured in degrees without specific phrasing.

2. the capacity of a living organism, cell, or embryo to survive, grow, and develop

2.名詞C1
釋義

the capacity of a living organism, cell, or embryo to survive, grow, and develop normally under suitable conditions

例句

The hospital monitored the viability of the premature baby's lungs around the clock.

Lakan studied how pollution affects the viability of fish eggs in the river.

affects the viability of + noun phrase

同義詞
  • survivability

    more specific to survival in adverse conditions; narrower in meaning

  • vitality

    emphasises energy and vigour rather than the bare ability to survive

  • life

    a simpler but much broader word; 'viability' implies the potential for continued development, not just being alive

反義詞
  • inviability

    the state of being unable to survive, grow, or develop normally

文法句型

viability of [noun phrase]

用法筆記

Common in medicine, biology, and agriculture. Frequently modifies nouns such as 'cell', 'seed', 'fetus', or 'tissue'. Unlike sense 1, this sense can appear with a possessive ('the seed's viability').

常見錯誤

❌The viability of the baby is good.
✅The baby's lungs show good viability.
💡'viability' describes a specific function or condition, not a general state of health.