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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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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Stem cell skincare products set out to harness the innate power of stem cells, which are naturally found in skin, to slow signs of aging.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
23 Feb. 2026
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Then came an almighty, barely believable surge spearheaded by Ngumoha, and if the VAR intervention was the slice of good fortune Forest needed, what happened next summed up everything about the power of those towards the top.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
23 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Gone are the days when stars seemed to go from strength to strength — when Tom Hanks, for instance, followed Philadelphia with Forrest Gump, and Forrest Gump with Apollo 13, and Apollo 13 with Toy Story.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
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Like the single-leg stand, the sit-to-stand can also help test leg strength and endurance.—
Stephanie Anderson Witmer,
Health,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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The institute will consolidate Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s (ORNL) broad expertise in energy technologies, computing, grid science, and cybersecurity to develop next-generation infrastructure that is secure, efficient, and reliable.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Feb. 2026
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In these cases, a few medications can improve symptoms such as fatigue, pain, depression, and low energy.—
Doru Paul,
Verywell Health,
27 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Puissance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puissance. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
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