powerful

adjective

pow·​er·​ful ˈpau̇(-ə)r-fəl How to pronounce powerful (audio)
Synonyms of powerfulnext
1
: having great power, prestige, or influence
a powerful leader
2
: leading to many or important deductions
a powerful set of postulates

Synonyms of powerful

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Examples of powerful in a Sentence

The country is becoming more and more powerful. powerful drugs that attack cancer cells The cash bonus provides a powerful incentive to workers. The perfume has a powerful smell. It's a very powerful movie. The dog has a powerful body. She has a powerful voice. The weapons are very powerful. The aardvark uses its powerful claws to dig for food.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dyson’s new Supersonic™ Travel hair dryer is the lightweight, powerful styling tool of the summer. — Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026 The powerful Florida Sheriff’s Association is the latest group to criticize the November ballot measure to roll back property taxes, joining what has been a drumbeat of opposition from law enforcement and first responder organizations. — Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Aug. 2026 Last month, OpenAI agents broke out of a training environment and hacked open-source software developer platform Hugging Face, raising concerns over the rapid evolution of powerful AI and cybersecurity tools. — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 3 Aug. 2026 The lift had to be powerful enough to blast the massive orb into the sky, and the shell had to explode at just the right moment, without raining flaming debris. — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for powerful

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of powerful was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing powerful

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power forward
powerful
powerfully
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Cite this Entry

“Powerful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/powerful. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

powerful

adjective
pow·​er·​ful ˈpau̇(-ə)r-fəl How to pronounce powerful (audio)
: full of or having power or influence : strong, effective
powerfully
-f(ə-)lē How to pronounce powerful (audio)
adverb

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