Powerful — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈpau̇(-ə)r-fəl/ pow·er·ful

Meaning & Definition of Powerful

Powerful (adjective)

  1. having great power, prestige, or influence
  2. leading to many or important deductions

Powerful (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having great power or influence

    "a powerful producer in the music business who is considered responsible for the careers of several superstars"

    similar: heavy, heavy-duty, important, influential, mighty, potent, puissant, significant, strong
    related: high-level, senior, top, able, capable, competent, effective, efficient, authoritarian, autocratic, despotic, dictatorial, magisterial, tyrannical, celebrated, distinguished, dominant, eminent, famed, famous, great, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, notorious, outstanding, preeminent, prestigious, prominent, renowned, dynamic, energetic, forceful, high-powered, robust, vigorous
    opposite: helpless, impotent, insignificant, little, powerless, unimportant, weak
    near: feeble, flimsy, frail, infirm, anonymous, nameless, obscure, uncelebrated, unknown, incapable, incompetent, ineffective, inept, inexpert, unfit, unqualified, unskilled, unskillful

Related Entry: All-powerful (adjective)

All-powerful is a different word from Powerful. The synonyms below are for all-powerful, not for powerful.

  1. having unlimited power or authority

    "that country's monarch was never an all-powerful ruler, but one who shared power with a parliament"

    similar: almighty, omnipotent
    related: great, sovereign, supreme, towering, transcendent, authoritative, chief, majestic, master, masterful, mighty, potent, powerful, puissant, strong, divine, godlike, able, capable, competent, effective, efficient, multitalented, omnicompetent, omnificent, authoritarian, autocratic, despotic, dictatorial, magisterial, tyrannical
    near: helpless, impotent, impuissant, powerless, limited, restricted, hamstrung, handcuffed, high and dry, hog-tied, paralyzed, weak, incapable, incompetent, ineffective, ineffectual, inept, unfit, useless, feeble, frail, infirm

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Powerful

The most common words with a similar meaning to Powerful:

heavy, heavy-duty, important, influential, mighty, potent, puissant, significant, strong

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Powerful

Words with the opposite meaning of Powerful:

helpless, impotent, insignificant, little, powerless, unimportant, weak

Related Words for Powerful

high-level, senior, top, able, capable, competent, effective, efficient, authoritarian, autocratic, despotic, dictatorial, magisterial, tyrannical, celebrated, distinguished, dominant, eminent, famed, famous, great, illustrious, noble, notable, noteworthy, notorious, outstanding, preeminent, prestigious, prominent

Near Antonyms of Powerful

feeble, flimsy, frail, infirm, anonymous, nameless, obscure, uncelebrated, unknown, incapable, incompetent, ineffective, inept, inexpert, unfit, unqualified, unskilled, unskillful

Origin & Etymology of Powerful

First known use: 15th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Powerful

Words & Phrases Containing Powerful

all-powerful

Frequently Asked Questions about Powerful

What does "Powerful" mean?

"Powerful" means having great power, prestige, or influence. As an adjective, it is defined as: having great power, prestige, or influence.

What is another word for "Powerful"?

Other words for "Powerful" include heavy, heavy-duty, important, influential, mighty, potent, puissant and significant. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Powerful" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Powerful"?

There are 46 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Powerful". Common alternatives include heavy, heavy-duty, important, influential, mighty, potent, puissant, significant and strong.

What is the opposite of "Powerful"?

Antonyms of "Powerful" include helpless, impotent, insignificant, little, powerless, unimportant and weak. Near antonyms include feeble, flimsy, frail and infirm.

How do you use "Powerful" in a sentence?

Examples of "Powerful" in a sentence: "a powerful producer in the music business who is considered responsible for the careers of several superstars".

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

"Powerful" is an adjective.

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

As a B1-level word, "Powerful" 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 "Powerful"?

"Powerful" is pronounced /ˈpau̇(-ə)r-fəl/ and divided into syllables as pow·er·ful.