as in powerful
having great power or influence
one of the nation's most respected and puissant advocates for the rights of minorities
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Recent Examples of puissant
The show is light on tech, but the accompanying images (video design by Stefano DeCarli) pour through as addendums to Felder’s puissant passion of Liszt’s Liebesträume or Beethoven’s Für Elise and land with great effect.
—
David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
Coffee gave us the Enlightenment, and insurance, and the most puissant bop of summer 2024.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2025
Quite the puissant power house—this wine includes aromas of lavender and cedar, rum, sultanas, treacle, black cherries, pine cones and orange rind, as well as tastes that include a raspberry flush and flavors of plums, cola, figs, cocoa and black pepper.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2021
David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 Jan. 2026
Coffee gave us the Enlightenment, and insurance, and the most puissant bop of summer 2024.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 14 Oct. 2025
Quite the puissant power house—this wine includes aromas of lavender and cedar, rum, sultanas, treacle, black cherries, pine cones and orange rind, as well as tastes that include a raspberry flush and flavors of plums, cola, figs, cocoa and black pepper.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 31 Oct. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puissant
Adjective
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Any changes to the policy will probably draw strong challenges from within the LAPD and the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the powerful union that represents the city’s rank-and-file officers.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
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Yet the world’s most powerful economy’s been dragged down by nonstop layoffs.—
Solo Ceesay,
Rolling Stone,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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The center continued that Bugno had played an influential behind-the-scenes role in championing independent voices from regions historically marginalized within the global film industry, and notably the Arab World.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
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The Legend award is given to one of TV’s most beloved and influential performers, with last year’s inaugural honor given to Parker Posey.—
Hilary Lewis,
HollywoodReporter,
7 May 2026
Adjective
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BuzzFeed soon will make another round of significant cost cuts prior to Allen’s takeover, Peretti said in the statement.—
Meg James,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2026
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Those troops are still there, and significant mistrust remains a threat to peace.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Puissant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puissant. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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