feasibility
fee-zuh-BIL-ih-tee
/ˌfiːzəˈbɪləti/
The state or degree of being easily or conveniently done; the possibility of success.
Feasibility implies a practical assessment of whether a project is possible given the available resources, technology, and time.
The story behind the word. Rooted in the Latin 'facere' (to do), 'feasibility' came through Old French 'faisable'. It literally means 'do-able'. It entered English in the 15th century to describe things that were within the power of humans to accomplish.
Word relationships
- viability: Viability suggests the ability to survive or succeed long-term, while feasibility focuses on the immediate possibility of completion.
- practicability: Practicability refers to whether something can be put into practice, often in a more mechanical or physical sense.
- implausibility: Implausibility suggests something is unlikely to be true or possible, whereas infeasibility means it cannot be done.
Commonly confused with
- possibility: Possibility means something could happen; feasibility means it can be done effectively with the resources at hand.
Word family
- feasible (adjective): Possible to do easily or conveniently.
- feasibly (adverb): In a way that is possible to achieve.
Collocations
- feasibility study
- economic feasibility
- technical feasibility
- assess the feasibility
Example sentences
- "The feasibility of the high-speed rail project depends on securing government funding." Engineering
- "Before launching the app, the team conducted a feasibility study to analyze market demand." Entrepreneurship
Memory hook
Feasibility sounds like 'Ease-ability'—is it easy enough to be able to do it? If it's feasible, it's 'do-able'.
When not to use
Avoid using it for simple tasks; it usually refers to complex plans or large-scale projects.
Fun facts
- A 'feasibility study' is often the most expensive part of a failed project because it's the first thing done.
- In the 1960s, NASA had to prove the feasibility of landing on the moon before the Apollo missions could begin.
Explore more words
actionable, usability, implementation, resourceful, sustainability, Connectivity
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