powerful

A2 Topic:People & Society

Also spelled powful

US /ˈpaʊɚfl̩/ UK /ˈpaʊəfl̩/ See IPA manual

adj adv Freq #1459

Meanings

1

adj
Having great power, strength, or effect.

The car has a powerful engine.
2

adj
Having a lot of control or influence over people and events.

She is one of the most powerful leaders in the country.
3

adj
Having physical strength.

The wrestler had powerful arms and shoulders.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · having great power,... potent

2 adj · having a lot of control or... potent

3 adj · having physical strength. hefty

More forcefulmightfulmightypowersomestrengthful strong

Opposites

powerless strengthless

Word family

Forms powerfullest

Derived forms all-powerfulnonpowerfuloverpowerfulpowerfully powerfulnesssemipowerfulsuperpowerfulultrapowerfulunpowerful

Related forms strong

Common collocations

Etymology

From Middle English pouerful, powarfull. By surface analysis, power + -ful.

pouerful Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

People & Society

# powerful

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj, adv
**IPA (US):** ˈpaʊɚfl̩
**IPA (UK):** ˈpaʊəfl̩
**Frequency rank:** 1459

## Meanings
1. Having great power, strength, or effect.
2. Having a lot of control or influence over people and events.
3. Having physical strength.

## Examples
- The car has a powerful engine.
- She is one of the most powerful leaders in the country.
- The wrestler had powerful arms and shoulders.

## Synonyms
- forceful
- mightful
- mighty
- potent
- powersome
- strengthful
- strong

## Antonyms
- powerless
- strengthless

## Derived Forms
- all-powerful
- nonpowerful
- overpowerful
- powerfully
- powerfulness
- semipowerful
- superpowerful
- ultrapowerful
- unpowerful

## Related Forms
- strong

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: pouerful
- Affix: -ful - full of

## Etymology
From Middle English pouerful, powarfull. By surface analysis, power + -ful.

## AI Etymology
Powerful comes from Middle English pouerful, powarfull. By surface analysis, power + -ful. The historical chain includes pouerful (Middle English). In present-day English it covers having great power, strength, or effect, having a lot of control or influence over people and events, and having physical strength. The wider family includes derived forms such as all-powerful, nonpowerful, overpowerful, powerfully, powerfulness and related forms such as strong.

## Topics
- People & Society

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