pow ‧ er ‧ ful S3 W2 /ˈpaʊəf ə l $ ˈpaʊr-/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ power , ↑ superpower , ↑ powerlessness , ↑ empowerment ; adjective : ↑ powerful ≠ ↑ powerless , ↑ overpowering , ↑ power , ↑ powered ; verb : ↑ power , ↑ empower , ↑ overpower ; adverb : ↑ powerfully ≠ ↑ powerlessly , ↑ overpoweringly ]
1 . IMPORTANT a powerful person, organization, group etc is able to control and influence events and other people’s actions ⇨ powerless :
He was one of the most powerful men in Bohemia.
a very influential and powerful family
rich and powerful nations
2 . SPEECH/FILM ETC having a strong effect on someone’s feelings or opinions:
a powerful speech
powerful reasons/arguments (=reasons that make you think that something must be true)
Good teamwork is a powerful tool (=very effective method) for effective management.
3 . FEELING/EFFECT a powerful feeling or effect is very strong or great:
Immigrants have had a powerful influence on the local culture.
a powerful sense of tradition
4 . MACHINE/WEAPON ETC a powerful machine, engine, weapon etc is very effective and can do a lot:
a new generation of more powerful PCs
a machine that is immensely powerful
a powerful 24-valve engine
a powerful telescope
5 . PHYSICALLY STRONG physically strong:
Jed was a powerful, well-built man.
The females are smaller and less powerful than the males.
6 . A LOT OF FORCE a powerful blow, explosion etc has a lot of force:
an explosion ten times more powerful than the Hiroshima bomb
a powerful right-foot shot on goal
winds powerful enough to uproot trees
7 . MEDICINE a powerful medicine or drug has a very strong effect on your body
8 . TEAM/ARMY ETC a powerful team, army etc is very strong and can easily defeat other teams or armies:
a powerful fighting force
9 . QUALITY very strong, bright, loud etc:
a powerful singing voice
the powerful headlights
—powerfully adverb :
Christie is very powerfully built.
⇨ ↑ all-powerful
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ powerful a powerful person, organization, group etc is able to control and influence events and other people’s actions:
the world’s most powerful nation
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Parliament had become more powerful than the King.
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a powerful political family
▪ influential having a lot of power to influence what happens, because people pay attention to what you say:
a highly influential fashion designer
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He’s one of the most influential figures in international politics.
▪ strong powerful – used about people or groups in politics who have a lot of supporters:
The communists were particularly strong in the big industrial cities.
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He is a strong voice in the state assembly.
▪ dominant more powerful than other people, groups, countries etc:
She was the dominant force in women’s tennis for many years.
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The company has a dominant position in the market.