potent

adjective

ˈpō-tᵊnt How to pronounce potent (audio)
Definition of potentnext
1
as in rich
having an abundance of some characteristic quality (as flavor) a potent tea that is the perfect morning pick-me-up

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in powerful
having great power or influence a potent argument for expanding our program of space exploration

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in efficient
producing or capable of producing a desired result potent medicine that can be obtained through a doctor's prescription

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 potent Windy conditions will start to pick up later Saturday afternoon after a potent cold front slices through the Mid-Atlantic and eastern North Carolina and brings a major cooldown and some rain. — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 But in France, that threat is even more potent because the country’s vibrant film community relies significantly on investments from broadcasters, as well as subsidies distributed by the National Film Board (CNC) to finance films. — Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026 In addition, the Longhorns will tangle with other less potent defenses down the stretch. — Kirk Bohls, Houston Chronicle, 16 Oct. 2026 The senior led the Mules' potent offense to perfection in a 63-31 victory over the Panthers, and now he has been voted Express-News Athlete of the Week. — Jeffrey Perkins, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for potent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for potent
  1. rich
  2. powerful
  3. efficient
  4. strong
  5. influential
  6. effective
  7. robust
  8. significant
Adjective
  • Ocean iron fertilization grew from the idea that iron-rich dust blown across the oceans during past ice ages fed blooms of phytoplankton, helping to lower atmospheric CO₂.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • That opened the door to a rich landscape of DIY VR development, complete with software tools and hardware advice on how to get started.
    — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of rich
Adjective
  • Pacific Fusion also aims to create a fusion reaction an order of magnitude more powerful than those at the national lab facilities.
    — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Zuckerberg and Wang want Muse Wonder and the more powerful Muse Wonder Full to drive Muse, Meta’s personal AI agent, which can act on people’s behalf.
    — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of powerful
Adjective
  • Electricity made every existing process a little more efficient, one machine at a time.
    — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The service Sprightly staff members are friendly, trilingual, and super-efficient, delivering six-course meals with impressive promptness.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of efficient
Adjective
  • Policymakers recognized that American companies needed a stronger reason to invest in innovation.
    — Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Meta Platforms, which is pushing its Muse AI agent, lost 7% after reporting stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell short.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of strong
Adjective
  • Just 3% of respondents expect electricity demand from AI to be lower than forecast; a majority see the technology as becoming more influential than innovations in renewable energy over the next decade.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The backstory One of a raft of Six Senses openings, the hotel is owned by the influential architect Jonathan Leitersdorf.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of influential
Adjective
  • Forty-three percent of US adults say the federal government is effective at bettering people’s lives, down from 51% in 2025, according to a new Bentley University-Gallup survey.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Their usefulness will depend on reliable navigation, robust fault responses and effective coordination between onboard systems.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of effective
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, earnings from AI chip suppliers like Taiwan Semiconductor indicate the broader demand environment remains robust.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Amphenol Another robust quarter ahead, analyst Wamsi Mohan, wrote earlier this week ahead of the electronic connector manufacturer's quarterly report.
    — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of robust
Adjective
  • Summed up, this all provides the ship with significant firepower potential.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In July, the west-to-east ride across the state passed through a significant stretch of the northeastern Iowa district Mitchell hopes to represent.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of significant

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potency
potent
potentate
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Cite this Entry

“Potent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/potent. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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