Amount vs. Capacity — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Amount and Capacity
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Definitions
Amount➦
A quantity of something, especially the total of a thing or things in number, size, value, or extent
The substance is harmless if taken in small amounts
Sport gives an enormous amount of pleasure to many people
Capacity➦
The ability to receive, hold, or absorb something
The storage capacity of a car's trunk.
Amount➦
Come to be (the total) when added together
Losses amounted to over 10 million pounds
Capacity➦
The maximum amount that can be contained
A bin filled to capacity.
Amount➦
The total of two or more quantities; the aggregate.
Capacity➦
The power to learn or retain knowledge; mental ability.
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Amount➦
A number; a sum.
Capacity➦
The ability to do, make, or accomplish something; capability
A comedian's capacity for making people laugh.
Amount➦
A principal plus its interest, as in a loan.
Capacity➦
The maximum or optimum amount that can be produced
Factories operating below capacity.
Amount➦
The full effect or meaning; import.
Capacity➦
The quality of being suitable for or receptive to specified treatment
The capacity of elastic to be stretched.
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Amount➦
Quantity
A great amount of intelligence.
Capacity➦
The position in which one functions; role
In your capacity as sales manager.
Amount➦
To add up in number or quantity
The purchases amounted to 50 dollars.
Capacity➦
Legal qualification or authority
The capacity to make an arrest.
Amount➦
To add up in import or effect
That plan will never amount to anything.
Capacity➦
(Electricity) Capacitance.
Amount➦
To be equivalent or tantamount
Accusations that amount to an indictment.
Capacity➦
Filling a space with the most it can hold
A capacity crowd at the concert.
Amount➦
The total, aggregate or sum of material not applicable to discrete numbers or units or items in standard English.
The amount of atmospheric pollution threatens a health crisis.
Capacity➦
The ability to hold, receive, or absorb
Amount➦
A quantity or volume.
Pour a small amount of water into the dish.
The dogs need different amounts of food.
Capacity➦
A measure of such ability; volume
Amount➦
The number (the sum) of elements in a set.
Capacity➦
The maximum amount that can be held
It was hauling a capacity load.
The orchestra played to a capacity crowd.
A factory operating at less than full capacity.
Amount➦
To total or evaluate.
It amounts to three dollars and change.
Capacity➦
Capability; the ability to perform some task
Amount➦
To be the same as or equivalent to.
He was a pretty good student, but never amounted to much professionally.
His response amounted to gross insubordination
Capacity➦
The maximum that can be produced.
Amount➦
To go up; to ascend.
Capacity➦
Mental ability; the power to learn
Amount➦
To go up; to ascend.
So up he rose, and thence amounted straight.
Capacity➦
A faculty; the potential for growth and development
Amount➦
To rise or reach by an accumulation of particular sums or quantities; to come (to) in the aggregate or whole; - with to or unto.
Capacity➦
A role; the position in which one functions
Amount➦
To rise, reach, or extend in effect, substance, or influence; to be equivalent; to come practically (to); as, the testimony amounts to very little.
Capacity➦
Legal authority (to make an arrest for example)
Amount➦
To signify; to amount to.
Capacity➦
Electrical capacitance.
Amount➦
The sum total of two or more sums or quantities; the aggregate; the whole quantity; a totality; as, the amount of 7 and 9 is 16; the amount of a bill; the amount of this year's revenue.
Capacity➦
(operations) The maximum that can be produced on a machine or in a facility or group.
Its capacity rating was 150 tons per hour, but its actual maximum capacity was 200 tons per hour.
Amount➦
The effect, substance, value, significance, or result; the sum; as, the amount of the testimony is this.
The whole amount of that enormous fame.
Capacity➦
Filling the allotted space.
There will be a capacity crowd at Busch stadium for the sixth game.
Amount➦
How much of something is available;
An adequate amount of food for four people
Capacity➦
The power of receiving or containing; extent of room or space; passive power; - used in reference to physical things.
Had our great palace the capacityTo camp this host, we all would sup together.
The capacity of the exhausted cylinder.
Amount➦
A quantity of money;
He borrowed a large sum
The amount he had in cash was insufficient
Capacity➦
The power of receiving and holding ideas, knowledge, etc.; the comprehensiveness of the mind; the receptive faculty; capability of understanding or feeling.
Capacity is now properly limited to these [the mere passive operations of the mind]; its primary signification, which is literally room for, as well as its employment, favors this; although it can not be denied that there are examples of its usage in an active sense.
Amount➦
How much there is of something that you can quantify
Capacity➦
Ability; power pertaining to, or resulting from, the possession of strength, wealth, or talent; possibility of being or of doing.
The capacity of blessing the people.
A cause with such capacities endued.
Amount➦
A quantity obtained by addition
Capacity➦
Outward condition or circumstances; occupation; profession; character; position; as, to work in the capacity of a mason or a carpenter.
Amount➦
Be tantamount or equivalent to;
Her action amounted to a rebellion
Capacity➦
Legal or moral qualification, as of age, residence, character, etc., necessary for certain purposes, as for holding office, for marrying, for making contracts, wills, etc.; legal power or right; competency.
Amount➦
Add up in number or quantity;
The bills amounted to $2,000
The bill came to $2,000
Capacity➦
Ability to perform or produce
Amount➦
Develop into;
This idea will never amount to anything
Nothing came of his grandiose plans
Capacity➦
The susceptibility of something to a particular treatment;
The capability of a metal to be fused
Capacity➦
The amount that can be contained;
The gas tank has a capacity of 12 gallons
Capacity➦
The maximum production possible;
The plant is working at 80 per cent capacity
Capacity➦
A specified function;
He was employed in the capacity of director
He should be retained in his present capacity at a higher salary
Capacity➦
(computer science) the amount of information (in bytes) that can be stored on a disk drive;
The capacity of a hard disk drive is usually expressed in megabytes
Capacity➦
An electrical phenomenon whereby an electric charge is stored
Capacity➦
The power to learn or retain knowledge; in law, the ability to understand the facts and significance of your behavior
Capacity➦
Tolerance for alcohol;
He had drunk beyond his capacity
