potency

noun

po·​ten·​cy ˈpō-tᵊn(t)-sē 

plural potencies

1

a

: force, power

b

: the quality or state of being potent

c

: the ability or capacity to achieve or bring about a particular result

2

: potentiality sense 1

Synonyms of potency

• power
• strength
• energy
• muscle
• capacity

Examples of potency in a Sentence

The potency of her words changed many minds in the audience that night.

Any vitamin of high potency should only be taken in the proper dosage.

Recent Examples on the Web

According to some traditions of Hindu thought and practice, hijras are considered to possess significant religious potency. —Charles Preston, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 May 2026

Much of the emotional potency of the show’s début season came from Levinson’s canny, perhaps even prescient, channelling of Zoomer doomerism. —Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 28 May 2026

That meant mixing a high-potency Super-LumiNova powder into the ceramic powder when the watch was sintered, the process of fusing together powders into a solid through high heat. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 May 2026

Through Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, Alcott poses questions—about the essence of love, the potency of ambition, the importance of relationships, and the trade-offs among these things—that can be answered in many ways. —Anna Holmes, The Atlantic, 27 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

potency

noun

po·​ten·​cy ˈpōt-ᵊn-sē 

plural potencies

: the quality or state of being potent

vitamins of high potency

especially : power to bring about a certain result

Medical Definition

potency

noun

po·​ten·​cy ˈpōt-ᵊn-sē 

plural potencies

: the quality or state of being potent: as

a

: chemical or medicinal strength or efficacy

a drug's potency

b

: the ability to copulate

—usually used of the male

c

: initial inherent capacity for development of a particular kind

cells with a potency for eye formation