as in power
the ability to exert effort for the accomplishment of a task
the president pledged to put the full puissance of the nation into the war effort
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of puissance
The reboot arrives at the peak of reggaeton’s pop puissance, and rightfully incorporates a lot more of the genre and its offshoots — Latin trap included.
—
Washington Post, 26 Nov. 2021
Which of you has the puissance to short-term deep-six me?
—Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2021
The doctrine’s puissance lies in the separation of powers.
—Matt Ford, The New Republic, 14 Jan. 2020
Over the years, when French leaders have called for a Europe puissance (European power), this has often sounded suspiciously like code for French hegemonic ambitions.
—The Economist, 7 Nov. 2019
There was a time when Jupiter was the king of the gods, and any man who doubted his puissance was ipso facto a barbarian and an ignoramus.
—John E. McIntyre, baltimoresun.com, 29 Aug. 2017
Washington Post, 26 Nov. 2021
Which of you has the puissance to short-term deep-six me?
—Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2021
The doctrine’s puissance lies in the separation of powers.
—Matt Ford, The New Republic, 14 Jan. 2020
Over the years, when French leaders have called for a Europe puissance (European power), this has often sounded suspiciously like code for French hegemonic ambitions.
—The Economist, 7 Nov. 2019
There was a time when Jupiter was the king of the gods, and any man who doubted his puissance was ipso facto a barbarian and an ignoramus.
—John E. McIntyre, baltimoresun.com, 29 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puissance
Noun
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How to prepare before strong winds approach Trim tree branches away from your house and power lines.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
12 Nov. 2025
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The Maldives’ own India Out campaign—paradoxically led by Yameen after his electoral defeat to the pro-Indian politician Ibrahim Mohamed Solih—gained traction, casting India as a neo-imperial power.—
MUHIB RAHMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Nov. 2025
Noun
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What’s your team’s greatest strength this season?—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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And that’s all without mentioning a run defense that flexed its strength against the Green Bay Packers, and a special teams group that is facilitating complementary football and more.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Testing reveals an average power exceeding 200 kW in optimal steady-state conditions, surpassing the energy requirements for heavy-duty vehicles.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Nov. 2025
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Everything is dark around us, but the collision itself is a source of energy and the flash of it lights us up.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puissance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puissance. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.
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