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Prowess is a word with a lot to be proud of. Not only has it performed gallantly for the English language since the 13th century, but it has stayed relatively stalwart in hewing to its original meaning, which is quite a flex. When prowess first joined the ranks of the lexicon, it could be used to refer to bravery, skill, and valor—especially those virtues as encountered in military contexts—or to individual acts of derring-do. The latter was usually used in the plural, as when people waxed rhapsodic about the “prowesses” of knights or some such. Today’s “extraordinary ability” meaning, which developed in the 17th century, tends to stick to the singular form, as when it’s used to describe those with intellectual prowess, or to someone known for their prowess as a fundraiser.
Examples of prowess in a Sentence
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 7 May 2026
Los Angeles is home to the largest Armenian diaspora population outside of Armenia; our Armenian-run restaurants embody the breadth of the community’s culinary prowess and the depth of experiences.
—Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026
As part of her ice cream prowess, one of her favorite flavors to serve was homemade strawberry, which was made in-house with fresh strawberry preserves and homemade vanilla ice cream.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 6 May 2026
After all, his financial prowess, paired with his devoted retail fanbase and his very real entrepreneurial chops (Chewy) are what gave his bid some credibility in the first place.
—Rohan Goswami, semafor.com, 6 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for prowess
Cite this Entry
“Prowess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prowess. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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prowess
noun
