firepower

noun

fire·​pow·​er ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce firepower (audio)
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

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 Of course the concert version ended in yet another burst of firepower from Dad, taking to his instrument to sound sad on his daughter’s half, or maybe explosively protective, for a few fierce minutes. Chris Willman, Variety, 27 Oct. 2024 But if Ohtani is not, the Dodgers should have the necessary firepower to continue dominating the Yankees. Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2024 Three companies in the sector had financial firepower to do so courtesy of funding surpluses for their frozen pension plans as of the end of 2023, according to financial statements: Textron, Huntington Ingalls and L3Harris. Jeremy Bogaisky, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024 That latest season, which launched on HBO in August and the BBC this month, is by far Industry’s splashiest and was boosted by the full might of HBO’s marketing firepower. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for firepower 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'firepower.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of firepower was in 1871

Dictionary Entries Near firepower

Cite this Entry

“Firepower.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/firepower. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

firepower

noun
fire·​pow·​er -ˌpau̇(-ə)r How to pronounce firepower (audio)
: the ability to deliver gunfire or warheads on a target
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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