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

Check the expiration dates, especially for ingredients like spices and leavening agents that might not look spoiled but can lose their potency, and toss any expired or unwanted items. —Heather Riske, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2026

New York initially launched its adult-use market with a nearly identical potency tax scheme. —Lou Rinaldi, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026

The Traitors is a timely reminder of the potency of event television when there is so much handwringing about the medium being in terminal decline. —Jake Kanter, Deadline, 24 Jan. 2026

The paper’s authors draw on a variety of data—drug potency, law-enforcement actions, and, cleverly, social-media posts—to study the supply of fentanyl over time. —Charles Fain Lehman, The Atlantic, 20 Jan. 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