powerful

adjective

pow·er·ful | \ˈpau̇(-ə)r-fəl

Definition of powerful

1 : having great power, prestige, or influence a powerful leader

2 : leading to many or important deductions a powerful set of postulates

Other Words from powerful Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about powerful

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Examples of powerful in a Sentence

The country is becoming more and more powerful. powerful drugs that attack cancer cells The cash bonus provides a powerful incentive to workers. The perfume has a powerful smell. It's a very powerful movie. The dog has a powerful body. She has a powerful voice. The weapons are very powerful. The aardvark uses its powerful claws to dig for food.

Recent Examples on the Web

Despite that power-demanding leap, Apple says the Air’s 12-hour battery life remains about the same – and superior to the more powerful MacBook Pro that costs $100 more. — Geoffrey A. Fowler, The Seattle Times, "Apple redesigns the iPad Pro, breathes new life in the MacBook Air," 30 Oct. 2018 Distance and diaspora can create even more powerful bonds, but that was not the case for me. — Rawiya Kameir, Vogue, "Does Citizenship Shape Identity? A “Third-Culture” Writer Takes Stock," 19 Oct. 2018 That left the 600-hp BMW M5 and the less powerful but equally intriguing Kia Stinger GT to represent mid-size performance four-doors. — Car and Driver, "Lightning Lap 2018: Where the Track Tells the Truth," 26 Sep. 2018 Some of the earlier and most powerful Westerners to arrive here were the Sassoons, a family of Baghdadi Jews who eventually came to control large swaths of not only the shipping trade but the real estate business as well. — Hanya Yanagihara, Condé Nast Traveler, "50 Things to Do in Asia Before You Die," 24 Sep. 2018 Research in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that the threat of losing something, like money, is a more powerful motivator than the promise of earning a future prize. — Aviva Patz And Karyn Repinski, Woman's Day, "10 Natural Ways to Lower Your Blood Pressure," 20 Aug. 2018 Just like in the original Hong Kong-set Ten Years and Ten Years Thailand, the most powerful and affecting on-screen prophecies are the ones who most closely resemble the lives and predicaments of the here and now. — Clarence Tsui, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Ten Years Taiwan': Film Review," 13 July 2018 Soon, though, a tech starts driving a cherrypicker toward PseudOrion, preparing to replace this motor with a more powerful one that produces a lower frequency. — Sarah Scoles, WIRED, "Inside the Test Chamber for NASA's Astronaut Vehicle Double," 12 July 2018 Try Avène’s TriAcnéal, an intense blend of retinaldehyde (a form of vitamin A that’s more potent than retinol, but not as powerful as a prescription) and glycolic acid. — Ashley Weatherford, The Cut, "Is This Vitamin the Secret to Smooth Skin?," 10 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'powerful.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.