as in powerful
having great power or influence
one of the nation's most respected and puissant advocates for the rights of minorities
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 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
-
According to the Iranian news agency Fars, which is closely linked with its powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard, Iran typically exports around $13 billion worth of petrochemical products every year.—
April 16,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Co is one of several powerful legislators, including former House Speaker Martin Romualdez and former Senate President Francis Escudero, who were accused of pocketing huge kickbacks from flood control projects in an Asian archipelago prone to deadly floodings and typhoons.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Only when more members and influential insiders demand better of one another as a matter of course, before things go sideways, will there be fewer political self-detonations and shattered lives.—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Featuring comedy legends and late-night insiders, this sharp, entertaining documentary reveals how presidential impressions became one of America’s most influential, and surprisingly powerful, forms of political storytelling.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
However, significant barriers to entry remain, with access to both club and international matches highly limited.—
Jacob Whitehead,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The revision goes into effect just days after one of the most significant recent rulings in the restitution space.—
Jackie Hajdenberg,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Puissant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puissant. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
