PROWESS Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

prowess

noun

ˈprau̇-əs

Definition of prowess

as in courage

strength of mind to carry on in spite of danger an extraordinary display of prowess on the battlefield

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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 prowess Taken together, these reasons have led me to optimistically conclude that the effectiveness of vote buying depends not on the party machine’s prowess but on the strength of the parties that oppose it. — Kenneth Greene, The Conversation, 21 Oct. 2026 The chief determinant of that unlikely success has been not individual genius in the lab, or individual prowess in the boardroom, but collective planning and coördination at a breathtaking scale. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026 Hadid immediately set the tone for not only the feminine prowess that would fill the stage but the ethereal beauty, too. — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 Rather than a direct cash transfer, this is investing in more Americans benefiting from our country’s innovation prowess. — Sarah Cannon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prowess

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prowess

Noun

Independence gave us the courage to cross the last threshold.

— Amelia Rose Barlow, Rolling Stone, 22 Oct. 2026
Michael Haneke’s adaptation of The Piano Teacher gives me courage.

— Emily Temple, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of courage

Noun

The nomination recognizes a specific act of heroism or service, rather than participation in a large-scale disaster response.

— Julie Sharp, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Haloed in distorted guitar and jagged synths, Wolf comes off as a champion of her own avoidance, her heroism charmingly pathetic.

— Enzo Escober, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of heroism

Noun

The King kids were quiet and poised, letting the camera inspect their faces, putting on a show of mild bravery for the nice reporter and all the people out there watching at home.

— Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026
The Biden administration, in an act of incredible bravery, doubled the sanctions on the way out, in January of 2025.

— NBC news, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of bravery

Noun

In World Cup lore, however, his gallantry is doomed to be overshadowed by that of his fellow-goalkeeper from Cabo Verde, Vozinha, who had already produced an uncanny impersonation of a brick wall on the fourth day of the tournament.

— Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 17 July 2026
In all of these cases, the effect is largely the same—forging intimacy through some level of generosity or gallantry, coupled with pure, physical proximity—and in 2026, all of them are still technically possible.

— Sara Delgado, Vogue, 9 July 2026

Definition of gallantry

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provoking

prowess

proxies

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“Prowess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prowess. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of prowess

noun

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