POWERFUL
| Pronunciation (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does powerful mean?
• POWERFUL (adjective)
The adjective POWERFUL has 5 senses:
1. having great power or force or potency or effect
2. strong enough to knock down or overwhelm
3. having great influence
4. (of a person) possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful
5. displaying superhuman strength or power
Familiarity information: POWERFUL used as an adjective is common.
• POWERFUL (adverb)
The adverb POWERFUL has 1 sense:
1. (Southern regional intensive) very
Familiarity information: POWERFUL used as an adverb is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
• POWERFUL (adjective)
Meaning:
Having great power or force or potency or effect
Context examples:
the most powerful government in western Europe / his powerful arms / a powerful bomb / the horse's powerful kick / powerful drugs / a powerful argument
Similar:
regnant; reigning; ruling (exercising power or authority)
regent (acting or functioning as a regent or ruler)
puissant (powerful)
potent; strong (having or wielding force or authority)
muscular (having or suggesting great physical power or force)
mighty (having or showing great strength or force or intensity)
compelling (driving or forcing)
coercive (serving or intended to coerce)
all-powerful; almighty; omnipotent (having unlimited power)
Also:
potent; stiff; strong (having a strong physiological or chemical effect)
effective; effectual; efficacious (producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect)
strong (having strength or power greater than average or expected)
Attribute:
power; powerfulness (possession of controlling influence)
Antonym:
powerless (lacking power)
Meaning:
Strong enough to knock down or overwhelm
Synonyms:
knock-down; powerful
Context example:
a knock-down blow
Similar:
strong (having strength or power greater than average or expected)
Meaning:
Having great influence
Synonyms:
potent; powerful
Similar:
influential (having or exercising influence or power)
Meaning:
(of a person) possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful
Synonyms:
brawny; hefty; sinewy; powerful; muscular
Context examples:
a hefty athlete / a muscular boxer / powerful arms
Similar:
strong (having strength or power greater than average or expected)
Meaning:
Displaying superhuman strength or power
Synonyms:
herculean; powerful
Context example:
herculean exertions
Similar:
superhuman (above or beyond the human or demanding more than human power or endurance)
• POWERFUL (adverb)
Meaning:
(Southern regional intensive) very
Synonyms:
mighty; powerful; right
Context examples:
the baby is mighty cute / he's mighty tired / it is powerful humid / that boy is powerful big now / they have a right nice place
Domain usage:
intensifier; intensive (a modifier that has little meaning except to intensify the meaning it modifies)
