powerful

adjective

pow·​er·​ful ˈpau̇(-ə)r-fəl 

1

: having great power, prestige, or influence

a powerful leader

2

: leading to many or important deductions

a powerful set of postulates

Synonyms of powerful

• influential
• significant
• strong
• important

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

With new, powerful telescopes now online, the study authors are confident the method can soon deliver more accurate measurements. —Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 7 Dec. 2025

Once the heart of the powerful Kingdom of Benin, the city was devastated in 1897 when British colonial forces looted its treasures and burned the royal palace. —Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2025

So how can reinforcement learning help engineers develop and operate these powerful technologies? —Preeti Nair, Space.com, 7 Dec. 2025

Jair Bolsonaro never closed the door on the possibility of choosing a member of his powerful family as a successor. —Arkansas Online, 7 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing powerful

• all-powerful

Kids Definition

powerful

adjective

pow·​er·​ful ˈpau̇(-ə)r-fəl 

: full of or having power or influence : strong, effective

powerfully

-f(ə-)lē 

adverb