firepower

noun

fire·​pow·​er ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌpau̇(-ə)r 

1

a

: the capacity (as of a military unit) to deliver effective fire on a target

b

: effective fire

2

a

: effective power or force

intellectual firepower

b

: the scoring ability of a team or player

Synonyms of firepower

• power
• strength
• energy
• capability
• muscle
• capacity

Examples of firepower in a Sentence

The army didn't have the firepower to defeat the invaders.

right now the President doesn't have the political firepower to push his programs through Congress

Recent Examples on the Web

But with such a heavy debt load, the company might want to focus most of its firepower on sure bets, said Brent Penter, research analyst at the financial services firm Raymond James. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

That’s a huge issue that should be addressed, but in terms of firepower, the Chargers are still dangerous against most Class 6A teams. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2026

So, just a few LRASM-capable B-52s could provide a lot of potential firepower for the Navy to call upon if needed. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026

The Red Sox needed to address the lack of firepower in the lineup — easier said than done with what was available last winter — and not doing so caught up with them here. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 4 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for firepower

• candlepower
• cauliflower
• overpower
• superpower
• vavasour
• waterpower
• airpower
• brainpower
• devour
• empower
• horsepower
• manpower

Kids Definition

firepower

noun

fire·​pow·​er -ˌpau̇(-ə)r 

: the ability to deliver gunfire or warheads on a target