capacity of understanding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "capacity of understanding" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use this phrase to refer to someone's mental ability to understand or comprehend something. For example: "He showed a remarkable capacity of understanding when discussing complex topics."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

The concept of competitor orientation, according to Narver and Slater (1990) is linked to the capacity of understanding the short-term strengths and weaknesses and long-term capabilities and strategies of key potential competitors.

Agricultural and Food Economics

In his book The True Church and the Poor, Jon Sobrino, a Jesuit theologian wrote, "The poor are accepted as constituting the primary recipients of the Good News and, therefore, as having an inherent capacity of understanding it better than anyone else".

Huffington Post

The numeracy of patients refers not only to the capacity of understanding numerical formats accurately, but also to graphical formats.

BMC Family Practice

On the other hand, students have improved collectively their capacity of understanding, synthesis and presentation of the results.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

The exegetic principle he adopts is the following: since the authority of Scripture is greater than our capacity of understanding, if some errors and/or inconsistencies are found in the Bible, there is something wrong with our interpretation.

SEP

Most of the oral health indexes are assessed by clinical examination that may be hampered in people with DS because of individuals' lower capacity of understanding and the staff limitations to lead with special needs [ 1, 3- 5, 7, 8].

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Other research offers a positive assessment of young children's capacity for understanding the essence of medical procedures and associated important information.

BMC Medical Ethics

A black person reading the Bible affirmed blacks' capacity for understanding Christian Scripture, of finding in it messages of hope and faith.

The New York Times

She wondered about Mr. Begor's capacity for understanding the depth of despair that Equifax inspires.

The New York Times

Indeed, 50% of responders declared that they do not present PD as an alternative modality to HD if they are convinced the patient is not a good candidate (poor capacities of understanding or collaboration).

CKJ: Clinical Kidney Journal

Our argument proceeds by analyzing the MacArthur Competency Assessment Tool [ 43] and decomposing the standard elements of capacity—understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and communication into constitutive cognitive functions measurable through neuroimaging [ 45].

BMC Medical Ethics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "capacity of understanding" when you want to emphasize the inherent or potential ability to grasp complex concepts or situations.

Common error

Avoid using "capacity of understanding" in simple situations where "understanding" alone suffices. For example, instead of "He lacked the capacity of understanding the instructions", prefer "He didn't understand the instructions".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "capacity of understanding" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability, as demonstrated in various examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

43%

News & Media

36%

Academia

21%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "capacity of understanding" is a grammatically sound noun phrase used to describe the ability to comprehend information. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable. Its frequency is uncommon and it appears most often in science, news, and academic contexts, pointing to its suitability for formal and professional communications. When writing, be sure to reserve this phrase for instances where you want to emphasize a potential or existing ability to grasp complex concepts, and avoid overuse in simpler situations where "understanding" alone suffices.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

capability of understanding

Uses "capability" instead of "capacity", indicating a potential or inherent ability to understand.

ability to understand

A more direct and common way to express the same concept.

power of understanding

Replaces "capacity" with "power", emphasizing the strength or ability to understand.

skill of understanding

Substitutes "capacity" with "skill", highlighting the learned or developed nature of understanding.

potential for understanding

Focuses on the potential to develop understanding, rather than the current ability.

aptitude for comprehension

Replaces both "capacity" and "understanding" with synonyms, focusing on innate talent.

facility with understanding

Highlights the ease or fluency of understanding.

knack for understanding

Suggests a natural, intuitive ability to understand.

cognitive capacity

Focuses on the mental processes involved in understanding.

intellectual capacity

Broader phrase referring to the general ability to learn and understand.

FAQs

How can I use "capacity of understanding" in a sentence?

You can use "capacity of understanding" to describe someone's ability to comprehend complex matters. For example: "The student demonstrated a remarkable "capacity of understanding" when analyzing the philosophical text."

What is a good alternative to "capacity of understanding"?

Alternatives include "ability to understand", "power of understanding", or "skill of understanding" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "capacity of understanding" formal or informal?

"Capacity of understanding" is generally considered a neutral to formal phrase, suitable for academic, professional, and journalistic contexts. Simpler alternatives like "understanding" may be more appropriate in informal settings.

What does "capacity of understanding" mean?

The phrase "capacity of understanding" refers to the inherent or developed ability to comprehend, interpret, and grasp the meaning of information, concepts, or situations.