powdered; powdering
ˈpau̇-d(ə-)riŋ 
1
: to sprinkle or cover with or as if with powder
2
: to reduce or convert to powder
3
: to hit very hard
often attributive
1
: matter in a finely divided state : particulate matter
2
a
: a preparation in the form of fine particles especially for medicinal or cosmetic use
b
: fine dry light snow
3
: any of various solid explosives used chiefly in gunnery and blasting
see also take a powder
Examples of powder in a Sentence
Verb
She powdered her face and put on lipstick.
you have to powder the antibiotic tablet and mix it with food
Noun
The powder is made from the roots of the plant.
Mix together the different powders.
She crushed the peppercorns into a fine powder.
We're running low on baby powder and diapers.
We woke this morning to several inches of fresh powder on the ground.
Recent Examples on the Web
Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 22 May 2025
Makeup patted him down—he’d worked up a coat of sweat during the setup—and powdered him up; the costumer threw his shirt on him.
—Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025
Sarah Scott, Parents, 15 July 2025
The study found that nicotine pouches were associated with a 150% greater risk of serious medical effects and were twice as likely to lead to hospitalization than other smokeless nicotine products swallowed by children, like gums, lozenges, e-liquids, tablets and powders.
—Jeffrey Kopp, CNN Money, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for powder
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Verb
Pallets of jurema bark, powdered and shredded, in a storage room at one of Akasha Song’s production facilities.
—Andy Greenberg, Wired News, 22 May 2025
Makeup patted him down—he’d worked up a coat of sweat during the setup—and powdered him up; the costumer threw his shirt on him.
—Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025
Noun
Researchers also found that nicotine pouches were more likely to be associated with serious medical issues or hospital admissions than other nicotine product formulations, such as gum, lozenges, liquids, and powder.
—Sarah Scott, Parents, 15 July 2025
The study found that nicotine pouches were associated with a 150% greater risk of serious medical effects and were twice as likely to lead to hospitalization than other smokeless nicotine products swallowed by children, like gums, lozenges, e-liquids, tablets and powders.
—Jeffrey Kopp, CNN Money, 14 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for powder
Cite this Entry
“Powder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/powder. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
powder
1 of 2 noun
pow·der
ˈpau̇d-ər
1
a
: dry material made up of fine particles
b
: something (as a food, medicine, or cosmetic) made in or changed to the form of a powder
2
: a solid explosive used in shooting or blasting
powder
2 of 2 verb1
: to sprinkle or cover with or as if with powder
2
: to crush to or become powder
powderer
noun
-ər-ər
Medical Definition
powder
noun
pow·der
ˈpau̇d-ər
: a product in the form of discrete usually fine particles
specifically
: a medicine or medicated preparation in the form of a powder
antiseptic powder
digestive powder
Geographical Definition
Powder
geographical name
Pow·der
ˈpau̇-dər
1
river 150 miles (241 kilometers) long in eastern Oregon flowing into the Snake River
2
river 375 miles (604 kilometers) long in northern Wyoming and southeastern Montana flowing north into the Yellowstone River
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