Definition of energynext
1
as in aura
a spiritual force that is held to emanate from or give animation to living beings many Eastern cultures believe in the significance of life energy in the healing process

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
3
as in fuel
something with a usable capacity for doing work some of the power needs of the house are provided by solar energy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun energy contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of energy are force, might, power, and strength. While all these words mean "the ability to exert effort," energy applies to power expended or capable of being transformed into work.

a worker with boundless energy

When is it sensible to use force instead of energy?

While in some cases nearly identical to energy, force implies the actual effective exercise of power.

used enough force to push the door open

In what contexts can might take the place of energy?

While the synonyms might and energy are close in meaning, might implies great or overwhelming power or strength.

the belief that might makes right

When would power be a good substitute for energy?

In some situations, the words power and energy are roughly equivalent. However, power may imply latent or exerted physical, mental, or spiritual ability to act or be acted upon.

the awesome power of flowing water

When is strength a more appropriate choice than energy?

The synonyms strength and energy are sometimes interchangeable, but strength applies to the quality or property of a person or thing that makes possible the exertion of force or the withstanding of strain, pressure, or attack.

use weight training to build your strength

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of energy Both consumer staples and energy posted gains of more than 1%, too. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 13 Feb. 2026 Rapid growth in Albemarle’s energy storage business, which supplies battery materials, and cost-cutting measures across the company helped boost efficiency, Masters said. Charlotte Observer, 13 Feb. 2026 Protect your energy so excellence feels sustainable. Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026 What gives his book its exceptional energy, though, is not what is happening on the surface of Tennyson’s life and Holmes’s narrative. Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for energy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for energy
Noun
  • That aura of 20th-century glamour was immortalized by Slim Aarons.
    Annabelle Dufraigne, Architectural Digest, 12 Feb. 2026
  • But what about the romantic aura?
    Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Suckers can be stimulated to grow for a variety of reasons, such as the vigor of a plant’s root system in situations where the plant is grafted (as many non-native witchhazels and tree cultivars are).
    Miri Talabac, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2026
  • As in as soon as the game was over, with Adebayo marching a phone down to Ware’s locker space at Capital One Arena, with vigor almost as fierce as the dunk itself.
    Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • At some point, those fuel sources will be exhausted, no further energy will be naturally extracted from what remains within them, and those once-brilliant objects will fade away into darkness.
    Big Think, Big Think, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Iran seizes 2 ships on smuggling claims DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Iran seized two foreign oil tankers in the Persian Gulf on Thursday, state television reported, claiming the vessels had been smuggling fuel.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Food and drink Onsite restaurant L’Escale is just as much a Greenwich institution as the hotel itself—a proper entity conveniently attached at the hip to your lodging for power lunchers in daylight, special-occasion diners in the evening, and a rotating cast of Hopper subjects always at the bar.
    Charlie Hobbs, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2026
  • Republicans often couched their fury at speech restrictions — around right-wing cultural politics and COVID-19, in particular — as part of a broader critique of corporate power.
    Ben Smith, semafor.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • But the composer also makes great use of the saxophone, which playfully dances through melodies that transport the viewer back to the swinging '60s and evokes the spirit of Henry Mancini.
    Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
  • At the bottom it could be motivated by the needs of the human spirit, some Wellsian desire to push out to the stars.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • That leads to high temperatures, which create a glowing protostar due to the rapid (kinetic) motion of the internal gas particles, and eventually, after a few tens of millions of years, the core temperatures rise high enough (above 4 million K or so) that nuclear fusion of hydrogen begins.
    Big Think, Big Think, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Signaling the need for change Strazik worked in GE’s aviation engine and gas power businesses before taking over what was then GE Power in 2021.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium and maintain bone strength.
    Zia Sherrell, Health, 5 Feb. 2026
  • There is strength in coming together to pray, Gomez said.
    Anissa Rivera, Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Mango, onion, bell pepper, cilantro, and lime juice come together for an easy tropical topping or side for any flaky white fish.
    Cameron Beall, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
  • Once the sauce has come back to the boil, add the prunes along with any resting juices from the pork.
    The Week UK, TheWeek, 14 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Energy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/energy. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.

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