Powder — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈpau̇-dər/ pow·der

Meaning & Definition of Powder

Powder (verb)

  1. to sprinkle or cover with or as if with powder
  2. to reduce or convert to powder
  3. to hit very hard

Powder (noun)

  1. matter in a finely divided state, particulate matter
  2. a preparation in the form of fine particles especially for medicinal or cosmetic use
  3. fine dry light snow

Powder (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to reduce to fine particles

    "you have to powder the antibiotic tablet and mix it with food"

    similar: atomize, beat, bray, comminute, crush, disintegrate, grind, mill, mull, pound, pulverize
    related: grate, kibble, crumble, crunch, break, bust, dash, fracture, fragment, shatter, smash, splinter, micronize

Powder (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in oil, cream

    similar: blush, cold cream, cream, eye shadow, kohl, lipstick, lotion, mascara, oil, rouge, vanishing cream, cosmetics, makeup, maquillage, paint, war paint, greasepaint, camo, camouflage

Related Entry: Powder keg (noun)

Powder keg is a different word from Powder. The synonyms below are for powder keg, not for powder.

  1. a potentially explosive place or situation

    "the immigration bill has become a political powder keg for legislators on both sides of the aisle"

    similar: flash point, time bomb, tinderbox, volcano
    related: hot button, third rail

Related Entry: Powder room (noun)

Powder room is a different word from Powder. The synonyms below are for powder room, not for powder.

  1. as in half bath

    similar: half bath, garderobe, jakes, outhouse, privy, ladies (chiefly British), ladies' room, men's room, commode, pan (British), pot, bath, bathroom, bog (British), can, cloakroom (British), comfort station, convenience (chiefly British), head, john, latrine, lavatory, loo (chiefly British), potty, restroom, toilet, washroom, water closet

Related Entry: Powder rooms (noun)

Powder rooms is a different word from Powder. The synonyms below are for powder rooms, not for powder.

  1. as in half baths

    similar: half baths, garderobes, jakes, outhouses, privies, ladies (chiefly British), ladies' rooms, men's rooms, commodes, pans (British), pots, bathrooms, baths, bogs (British), cans, cloakrooms (British), comfort stations, conveniences (chiefly British), heads, johns, latrines, lavatories, loos (chiefly British), potties, restrooms, toilets, washrooms, water closets

Related Entry: Powder kegs (noun)

Powder kegs is a different word from Powder. The synonyms below are for powder kegs, not for powder.

  1. a potentially explosive place or situation

    "the immigration bill has become a political powder keg for legislators on both sides of the aisle"

    similar: flash points, time bombs, tinderboxes, volcanoes
    related: hot buttons, third rails

Related Entry: Take a powder (phrase)

Take a powder is a different word from Powder. The synonyms below are for take a powder, not for powder.

  1. to leave a place often for another

    "He took a powder before anyone even noticed he was there."

    similar: bail, bail out, begone, book (slang), bugger off (British slang), bug off, bug out, buzz (off), clear off (chiefly British), clear out, cut out, depart, dig out, exit, get, get off, go, go off, move, pack (up or off), part, peel off, pike (out or off), pull out, push off, push on, quit, run along, sally (forth), scarper (British), shove (off), step (along), take off, vamoose, walk out, beat it, hit the road, pull stakes, take a hike
    related: set out, start, strike out, abscond, decamp, escape, evacuate, flee, fly, get out, mizzle (chiefly British), run away, scat, scram, skip, go out, light out, step out, abandon, desert, forsake, vacate, emigrate, adjourn, remove, retire, retreat, withdraw
    opposite: arrive, come, show up, turn up
    near: abide, dwell, lodge, remain, settle, stay, tarry, approach, close, near, hit, land, reach

Related Entry: Taken a powder (phrase)

Taken a powder is a different word from Powder. The synonyms below are for taken a powder, not for powder.

  1. to leave a place often for another

    "He took a powder before anyone even noticed he was there."

    similar: bailed, bailed out, booked (slang), bugged off, bugged out, buggered off (British slang), buzzed (off), cleared off (chiefly British), cleared out, cut out, departed, dug out, exited, gone, gone off, got, got off, moved, packed (up or off), parted, peeled off, piked (out or off), pulled out, pushed off, pushed on, quit, run along, sallied (forth), scarpered (British), shoved (off), stepped (along), taken off, vamoosed, walked out, beaten it, hit the road, pulled stakes, taken a hike
    related: set out, started, struck out, absconded, decamped, escaped, evacuated, fled, flown, got out, mizzled (chiefly British), run away, scatted, scrammed, skipped, gone out, lit, stepped out, abandoned, deserted, forsaken, vacated, emigrated, adjourned, removed, retired, retreated, withdrawn
    opposite: arrived, come, shown up, turned up
    near: abided, dwelled, lodged, remained, settled, stayed, tarried, approached, closed, neared, hit, landed, reached

Related Entry: Took a powder (phrase)

Took a powder is a different word from Powder. The synonyms below are for took a powder, not for powder.

  1. to leave a place often for another

    "He took a powder before anyone even noticed he was there."

    similar: bailed, bailed out, booked (slang), bugged off, bugged out, buggered off (British slang), buzzed (off), cleared off (chiefly British), cleared out, cut out, departed, dug out, exited, got, got off, moved, packed (up or off), parted, peeled off, piked (out or off), pulled out, pushed off, pushed on, quit, ran along, sallied (forth), scarpered (British), shoved (off), stepped (along), took off, vamoosed, walked out, went, went off, beat it, hit the road, pulled stakes, took a hike
    related: set out, started, struck out, absconded, decamped, escaped, evacuated, fled, flew, got out, mizzled (chiefly British), ran away, scatted, scrammed, skipped, lit, stepped out, went out, abandoned, deserted, forsook, vacated, emigrated, adjourned, removed, retired, retreated, withdrew
    opposite: arrived, came, showed up, turned up
    near: abided, dwelled, lodged, remained, settled, stayed, tarried, approached, closed, neared, hit, landed, reached

Related Entry: Takes a powder (phrase)

Takes a powder is a different word from Powder. The synonyms below are for takes a powder, not for powder.

  1. to leave a place often for another

    "He took a powder before anyone even noticed he was there."

    similar: bails, bails out, books (slang), buggers off (British slang), bugs off, bugs out, buzzes (off), clears off (chiefly British), clears out, cuts out, departs, digs out, exits, gets, gets off, goes, goes off, moves, packs (up or off), parts, peels off, pikes (out or off), pulls out, pushes off, pushes on, quits, runs along, sallies (forth), scarpers (British), shoves (off), steps (along), takes off, vamooses, walks out, beats it, hits the road, pulls stakes, takes a hike
    related: sets out, starts, strikes out, absconds, decamps, escapes, evacuates, flees, flies, gets out, mizzles (chiefly British), runs away, scats, scrams, skips, goes out, lights out, steps out, abandons, deserts, forsakes, vacates, emigrates, adjourns, removes, retires, retreats, withdraws
    opposite: arrives, comes, shows up, turns up
    near: abides, dwells, lodges, remains, settles, stays, tarries, approaches, closes, nears, hits, lands, reaches

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Powder

The most common words with a similar meaning to Powder:

atomize, beat, bray, comminute, crush, disintegrate, grind, mill, mull, pound, pulverize, blush, cold cream, cream, eye shadow, kohl, lipstick, lotion, mascara, oil, rouge, vanishing cream, cosmetics, makeup, maquillage, paint, war paint, greasepaint, camo, camouflage

Related Words for Powder

grate, kibble, crumble, crunch, break, bust, dash, fracture, fragment, shatter, smash, splinter, micronize

Word Forms of Powder

Inflections: powdered, powdering

Derived words: powderer (noun), powderless (adjective), powderlike (adjective)

Origin & Etymology of Powder

Middle English poudre, from Anglo-French pudre, podre, from Latin pulver-, pulvis dust; probably akin to Sanskrit palāva chaff

First known use: 14th centuryt

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Powder

Words & Phrases Containing Powder

powder blue, powder horn, powder keg, powder metallurgy, powder monkey, powder-puff, powder puff

Frequently Asked Questions about Powder

What does "Powder" mean?

"Powder" means to sprinkle or cover with or as if with powder. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to sprinkle or cover with or as if with powder. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Powder"?

Other words for "Powder" include atomize, beat, bray, comminute, crush, disintegrate, grind and mill. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Powder" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Powder"?

There are 43 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Powder". Common alternatives include atomize, beat, bray, comminute, crush, disintegrate, grind, mill, mull and pound.

How do you use "Powder" in a sentence?

Examples of "Powder" in a sentence: "you have to powder the antibiotic tablet and mix it with food".

Is "Powder" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Powder" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

Is "Powder" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a B1-level word, "Powder" is typical of Cambridge B1 Preliminary (PET), IELTS band 4.0–5.0, TOEFL iBT 42–71, PTE Academic 43–58, TOEIC Listening & Reading 550+.

How do you pronounce "Powder"?

"Powder" is pronounced /ˈpau̇-dər/ and divided into syllables as pow·der.

What is the origin of the word "Powder"?

"Powder" comes from Middle English poudre, from Anglo-French pudre, podre, from Latin pulver-, pulvis dust; probably akin to Sanskrit palāva chaff. First known use: 14th centuryt.