stable
1 of 3noun
sta·ble ˈstā-bəl 
1
: a building in which domestic animals are sheltered and fed
especially : such a building having stalls or compartments
a horse stable
2
a
: the racehorses of one owner
b
: a group of people (such as athletes, writers, or performers) under one management
c
: the racing cars of one owner
d
: group, collection
stable
2 of 3verb
stabled; stabling ˈstā-b(ə-)liŋ
transitive verb
: to put or keep in a stable
intransitive verb
: to dwell in or as if in a stable
stable
3 of 3adjective
stabler ˈstā-b(ə-)lər ; stablest ˈstā-b(ə-)ləst
; stablest ˈstā-b(ə-)ləst 1
a
: firmly established : fixed, steadfast
stable opinions
b
: not changing or fluctuating : unvarying
in stable condition
c
: permanent, enduring
stable civilizations
2
a
: steady in purpose : firm in resolution
b
: not subject to insecurity or emotional illness : sane, rational
a stable personality
3
a(1)
: placed so as to resist forces tending to cause motion or change of motion
(2)
: designed so as to develop forces that restore the original condition when disturbed from a condition of equilibrium or steady motion
b(1)
: not readily altering in chemical makeup or physical state
stable emulsions
(2)
: not spontaneously radioactive
stableness
ˈstā-bəl-nəs
noun stably
ˈstā-b(ə-)lē
adverb 
Synonyms
Adjective
- bombproof
- fast
- firm
- sound
- stalwart
- strong
- sturdy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun She rode the horse back to the stable. There have been three winners from his stable this season. A new model will be added to the car company's stable of sedans. Verb Where do you stable your horses? Adjective They have a stable relationship. Children need to be raised in a stable environment. Make sure the platform is stable. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Jonathan Lee, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2022 Gracie wallpaper, fresh morning eggs direct from the chicken coop, and its stable of mini ponies. Carole Radziwill, Town & Country, 4 Aug. 2022 WWE Hall of Famer Edge also appeared and called out his former stable, The Judgement Day. Joe Otterson, Variety, 2 Aug. 2022 Still, Beam Suntory has its own stable of agave spirits brands, so even if those sales surpass bourbon, the American whiskey industry is not really showing any signs of slowing down. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 29 July 2022 Just years before the 2022 Derby, Reed and his staff lost 23 of his 36 horses when lightning sparked a fire in his stable in 2016. Eileen Finan, PEOPLE.com, 11 May 2022 Tim Yakteen, a former assistant under Baffert who’s run his own stable for more than two decades, is overseeing Messier and Taiba. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 6 May 2022 These were all reasonable questions to in 2012, when there was little to differentiate Hannity, Cheney, and most of the rest of Fox’s stable of hosts. Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 10 Aug. 2022 On a winter night in 1820, a group of radicals gathered in a London stable. Wsj Books Staff, WSJ, 8 Aug. 2022 al, 2 Dec. 2021 Grooms went home to small, mortgaged homes so that Gem might stable her horse, and horses would be broken so that Gem might ride. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2021 Baffert will temporarily not be allowed to stable any horses at Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course or run any of his horses at the New York Racing Association’s tracks. The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 May 2021 Additionally, the location where trainers stable their horse matters. Andre Toran, The Courier-Journal, 26 Apr. 2021 The economy needs to stable out after these COVID issues. David M. Drucker, Washington Examiner, 12 Apr. 2021 As each day brings a new sign of the airline industry’s domestic resurgence, the latest was provided by Fitch Ratings, which revised the rating outlook for Charlotte Douglas International Airport to stable from negative. Ted Reed, Forbes, 7 Apr. 2021 Taking these factors into account, Moody’s changed its rating for the real estate firm from negative to stable in November last year. Prathamesh Mulye, Quartz, 5 Apr. 2021 The paper found Robinson’s great lifetime causes congenial: devotion to the British Empire and a belief that only the United Kingdom and the United States could guide the world to stable peace and prosperity. Howard Schneider, WSJ, 26 Nov. 2020 Kurtis Lee, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2022 The man who was shot in the head is in stable condition at a Mobile hospital, Cadenhead said. Mary Colurso | Mcolurso@al.com, al, 10 Sep. 2022 One adult and one juvenile were able to walk away from the scene with no injuries, but a woman passenger was taken to the hospital in stable condition, the Sheriff’s Office said. Amanda Rabines, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Sep. 2022 As of Wednesday afternoon, two of the surviving victims were in the hospital in critical condition, eight were in stable condition and seven others had been discharged, the Saskatchewan Health Authority confirmed. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 One was in stable condition and the other was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center, which has a burn unit. Adam Beam And Kathleen Ronayne, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Sep. 2022 One pedestrian was transported to the hospital in stable condition. Jennifer Brett, ajc, 5 Sep. 2022 The victim was in stable condition as of Sunday night, police said. Claire Rafford, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Sep. 2022 One was in stable condition and the other was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center, which has a burn unit. CBS News, 5 Sep. 2022 See More
Noun
Sony, however, has been building its own powerful stable of exclusive titles for years, also by purchasing talented studios. Jonathan Lee, Washington Post, 11 Aug. 2022 Gracie wallpaper, fresh morning eggs direct from the chicken coop, and its stable of mini ponies. Carole Radziwill, Town & Country, 4 Aug. 2022 WWE Hall of Famer Edge also appeared and called out his former stable, The Judgement Day. Joe Otterson, Variety, 2 Aug. 2022 Still, Beam Suntory has its own stable of agave spirits brands, so even if those sales surpass bourbon, the American whiskey industry is not really showing any signs of slowing down. Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 29 July 2022 Just years before the 2022 Derby, Reed and his staff lost 23 of his 36 horses when lightning sparked a fire in his stable in 2016. Eileen Finan, PEOPLE.com, 11 May 2022 Tim Yakteen, a former assistant under Baffert who’s run his own stable for more than two decades, is overseeing Messier and Taiba. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 6 May 2022 These were all reasonable questions to in 2012, when there was little to differentiate Hannity, Cheney, and most of the rest of Fox’s stable of hosts. Daniel Strauss, The New Republic, 10 Aug. 2022 On a winter night in 1820, a group of radicals gathered in a London stable. Wsj Books Staff, WSJ, 8 Aug. 2022 Verb
On Wednesday, King’s Home unveiled a new barn to stable its 11 horses on a farm near Chelsea. al, 2 Dec. 2021 Grooms went home to small, mortgaged homes so that Gem might stable her horse, and horses would be broken so that Gem might ride. Rachel Syme, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2021 Baffert will temporarily not be allowed to stable any horses at Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack and Saratoga Race Course or run any of his horses at the New York Racing Association’s tracks. The Salt Lake Tribune, 17 May 2021 Additionally, the location where trainers stable their horse matters. Andre Toran, The Courier-Journal, 26 Apr. 2021 The economy needs to stable out after these COVID issues. David M. Drucker, Washington Examiner, 12 Apr. 2021 As each day brings a new sign of the airline industry’s domestic resurgence, the latest was provided by Fitch Ratings, which revised the rating outlook for Charlotte Douglas International Airport to stable from negative. Ted Reed, Forbes, 7 Apr. 2021 Taking these factors into account, Moody’s changed its rating for the real estate firm from negative to stable in November last year. Prathamesh Mulye, Quartz, 5 Apr. 2021 The paper found Robinson’s great lifetime causes congenial: devotion to the British Empire and a belief that only the United Kingdom and the United States could guide the world to stable peace and prosperity. Howard Schneider, WSJ, 26 Nov. 2020 Adjective
The idea is that the best way to close the wealth gap and give people the opportunity to build a more stable life is to provide unrestricted cash payments to some of the most vulnerable Americans. Kurtis Lee, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2022 The man who was shot in the head is in stable condition at a Mobile hospital, Cadenhead said. Mary Colurso | Mcolurso@al.com, al, 10 Sep. 2022 One adult and one juvenile were able to walk away from the scene with no injuries, but a woman passenger was taken to the hospital in stable condition, the Sheriff’s Office said. Amanda Rabines, Orlando Sentinel, 9 Sep. 2022 As of Wednesday afternoon, two of the surviving victims were in the hospital in critical condition, eight were in stable condition and seven others had been discharged, the Saskatchewan Health Authority confirmed. Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 8 Sep. 2022 One was in stable condition and the other was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center, which has a burn unit. Adam Beam And Kathleen Ronayne, Anchorage Daily News, 5 Sep. 2022 One pedestrian was transported to the hospital in stable condition. Jennifer Brett, ajc, 5 Sep. 2022 The victim was in stable condition as of Sunday night, police said. Claire Rafford, The Indianapolis Star, 5 Sep. 2022 One was in stable condition and the other was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center, which has a burn unit. CBS News, 5 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French estable, stable, from Latin stabulum, from stare to stand — more at stand
Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French estable, stable, from Latin stabilis, from stare to stand
First Known Use
Noun
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing stable
Kids Definition
stable 1 of 3
noun
sta·ble ˈstā-bəl
: a building in which horses are housed and cared for
stable
2 of 3verb
stabled; stabling
: to put or keep in a stable
stable
3 of 3adjective
stabler; stablest
1
: not easily changed or affected
a stable government
2
: not likely to change suddenly or greatly
a stable income
3
: lasting
a stable peace
Medical Definition
stable
adjective
sta·ble ˈstā-bəl
stabler -b(ə-)lər ; stablest -b(ə-)ləst
; stablest -b(ə-)ləst 1
: not changing or fluctuating
the patient's condition was listed as stable
2
: not subject to insecurity or emotional illness
a stable personality
3
a
: not readily altering in chemical makeup or physical state
stable emulsions
b
: not spontaneously radioactive
a stable isotope
stable 1 of 3
adjective
1
as in sturdy
marked by the ability to withstand stress without structural damage or distortion the observation tower is stable enough to withstand the strongest winds without collapsing Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- sturdy
- strong
- durable
- reliable
- dependable
- fast
- sound
- solid
- bombproof
- stalwart
- firm
- unbreakable
- cohesive
- tough
- beefy
- irrefragable
- infrangible
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unstable
- unsteady
- rickety
- weak
- unsound
- insecure
- shaky
- unbalanced
- wobbly
- infirm
- tottering
- wabbly
- unsubstantial
- tottery
2
as in fixed
having been established and usually not subject to change a troubled nation badly in need of a stable government Synonyms & Similar Words
- fixed
- unchanging
- unchangeable
- certain
- steady
- settled
- determinate
- flat
- final
- frozen
- set
- firm
- hard
- constant
- reliable
- inexpugnable
- uniform
- dependable
- solid
- safe
- good
- hard-and-fast
- specific
- unwavering
- trustworthy
- definite
- responsible
- explicit
- given
- nonadjustable
- true
- nonnegotiable
- stated
- exact
- noncancelable
- stipulated
- trusty
- sure
- tried
- tried-and-true
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- adjustable
- changeable
- negotiable
- unstable
- volatile
- indefinite
- variable
- unspecified
- uncertain
- unpredictable
- fluid
- mutable
- fluctuating
- mercurial
- unsteady
- inconstant
- changeful
- temperamental
- unsettled
- capricious
- open-ended
- flickery
3
as in normal
having full use of one's mind and control over one's actions she made some strange decisions back when she wasn't entirely stable Synonyms & Similar Words
- normal
- balanced
- sane
- lucid
- healthy
- reasonable
- rational
- sensible
- clearheaded
- logical
- coherent
- compos mentis
- right
- clear
- analytic
- wise
- sound
- levelheaded
- well-balanced
- judicious
- even-keeled
- well-adjusted
- analytical
- unneurotic
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unbalanced
- mental
- unsound
- insane
- deranged
- crazy
- crazed
- mad
- demented
- screwy
- disordered
- cracked
- nutty
- whacky
- maniacal
- disturbed
- aberrant
- lunatic
- wacky
- loopy
- balmy
- certifiable
- psychotic
- strange
- crackbrained
- neurotic
- schizophrenic
- paranoid
- eccentric
- maniac
- delirious
- loony
- schizoid
- cuckoo
- odd
- nuts
- daft
- daffy
- dotty
- moonstruck
- delusional
- paranoidal
- off
- unreasonable
- wacko
- whacko
- scatty
- oddball
- paranoiac
- fruity
- looney
- psycho
- paranoic
- queer
- delusionary
- cranky
- foolish
- batty
- crackpot
- brainsick
- irrational
- loco
- bughouse
- schizo
- depressed
- pixilated
- gaga
- meshuga
- nuclear
- meshugah
- schizzy
- frantic
- meshugge
- ballistic
- frenzied
- bananas
- despondent
- distraught
- distracted
- hysterical
- meshuggah
- potty
- hysteric
- witless
- senseless
- pixillated
- schizy
- obsessed
- fixated
- obsessive-compulsive
- haywire
- berserk
- raving
- mixed-up
- ape
- amuck
- monomaniacal
- monomaniac
- wigged-out
- amok
4
as in steady
not undergoing a change in condition a stable economic climate is best for business Synonyms & Similar Words
- steady
- constant
- unchanging
- unchangeable
- enduring
- stationary
- changeless
- unvarying
- fixed
- lasting
- durable
- permanent
- continuing
- invariable
- established
- immutable
- unalterable
- fast
- settled
- on even keel
- on an even keel
- inflexible
- set
- hard-and-fast
- ceaseless
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unstable
- volatile
- uncertain
- unpredictable
- fluid
- changing
- flexible
- variable
- unsteady
- adaptable
- fluctuating
- unsettled
- mercurial
- varying
- capricious
- inconstant
- fickle
- transient
- changeable
- mutable
- skittish
- transitory
- changeful
- ephemeral
- fleeting
- momentary
- evanescent
- alterable
- kaleidoscopic
- phantasmagoric
- phantasmagorical
stable
2 of 3noun
as in host
Synonyms & Similar Words
- host
- force
- help
- corps
- administration
- personnel
- team
- staff
- company
- troupe
- troop
- department
- posse
- battalion
- crew
- army
- band
- party
- gang
- squad
- brigade
- platoon
- outfit
stable
3 of 3verb
as in to home
Synonyms & Similar Words
- home
- secure
- tent
- house
- shed
- room
- roof
- camp
- shelter
- domicile
- roost
- board
- chamber
- quarter
- bunk
- billet
- ensconce
- harbor
- bestow
- lodge
- bivouac
- take in
- accommodate
- encamp
- barrack
- put up
- bed (down)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- eject
- evict
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of stable are durable, lasting, and permanent. While all these words mean "enduring for so long as to seem fixed or established," stable implies lastingness because of resistance to being overturned or displaced.
a stable government
The synonyms durable and stable are sometimes interchangeable, but durable implies power to resist destructive agencies.
durable fabrics
The words lasting and stable can be used in similar contexts, but lasting implies a capacity to continue indefinitely.
a book that left a lasting impression on me
While the synonyms permanent and stable are close in meaning, permanent adds usually the implication of being designed or planned to stand or continue indefinitely.
permanent living arrangements
Phrases Containing stable
- staphyles
- staphylinid
- Staphylinidae
- staphylinidaes
- staphylinids
- Staphylinoidea
- Staphylinus
- staphylion
- staphylo-
- staphylococcal
- staphylococci
- staphylococcic
- staphylococcus
- staphyloplasties
- staphylorrhaphies
- staphylotomy
- staple
- staple diet
- staple gun
- staple punch
- staple right
- stapled
- stapler
- staplers
- staples