powerful

powerful — adjective

1. able to make people obey and to shape important events or decisions

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

able to make people obey and to shape important events or decisions

Example

The minister is powerful enough to change the budget in one meeting.

powerful enough to + verb

After the merger, the bank became one of the country's most powerful companies.

one of the most powerful + plural noun

Common collocations
  • powerful leader
  • powerful country
  • powerful company
  • powerful in politics
Synonyms
  • influential

    stresses effect on opinions or decisions, not always formal authority

  • dominant

    sounds stronger and suggests staying above rivals

  • commanding

    often suggests natural authority and respect

  • mighty

    more dramatic or literary than everyday powerful

Antonyms
  • powerless

    having little or no control over events

  • weak

    broader and less political; it can describe limited influence

  • minor

    suggests a small role or little importance

Grammar Patterns

be powerful enough to + verb

be powerful in politics

become powerful

one of the most powerful + plural noun

Usage Note

Usually about people, governments, companies, or families that can direct others or influence major results. Distinguish from adjective/2, which is about physical force or machine strength.

Common Mistakes

The laptop is powerful in the company.
The CEO is powerful in the company.
adjective/1 is about control or influence, not machine performance.

2. able to push, hit, pull, or move with great force or strength

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

able to push, hit, pull, or move with great force or strength

Example

The storm's powerful waves broke the old wooden pier by dawn.

powerful + natural force

This small truck has a powerful engine for mountain roads.

collocation: powerful engine

Common collocations
  • powerful engine
  • powerful wave
  • powerful kick
  • powerful machine
Synonyms
  • strong

    the broad everyday word for physical strength or force

  • forceful

    often describes energetic action, movement, or impact

  • muscular

    used mainly for a person's body rather than machines

  • high-powered

    especially common for engines, tools, and equipment

Antonyms
  • weak

    lacking physical strength or force

  • feeble

    weaker and often suggests very little force

  • low-powered

    used especially for equipment or engines

Grammar Patterns

a powerful engine

a powerful kick

be powerful enough to + verb

a powerful machine

Usage Note

Common with engines, waves, kicks, machines, and sometimes strong people or animals. Distinguish from adjective/3, which is about a strong effect on feelings, the body, or a situation.

Common Mistakes

My grandmother is powerful for her age.
My grandmother is strong for her age.
For ordinary body strength, strong is usually more natural than powerful.

3. causing a strong change in thoughts, feelings, the body, or a result

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

causing a strong change in thoughts, feelings, the body, or a result

Example

The final speech was so powerful that the whole hall fell silent.

so powerful that + result

The photo had a powerful effect on parents after the school fire.

powerful effect on + person

Common collocations
  • powerful effect
  • powerful message
  • powerful speech
  • powerful medicine
Synonyms
  • effective

    focuses on getting the wanted result, not on emotional force

  • moving

    used mainly for a strong emotional effect

  • intense

    broader and can describe strong feelings, experiences, or pressure

  • potent

    more formal and often used for drugs, symbols, or influences

Antonyms
  • weak

    having little effect or influence

  • mild

    often used for medicine, feelings, or reactions that are not strong

  • ineffective

    fails to produce the intended result

Grammar Patterns

have a powerful effect on someone

be powerful enough to + verb

so powerful that + clause

remain powerful

Usage Note

Common with effect, message, speech, image, film, and medicine. Distinguish from adjective/2, which focuses on force or strength rather than emotional, mental, or medical impact.

Common Mistakes

The hammer had a powerful effect on the nail.
The speech had a powerful effect on the crowd.
adjective/3 is mainly for influence or results, not direct physical force.

4. able to make a tiny or distant thing appear much larger

4.adjective
Definition

able to make a tiny or distant thing appear much larger

Example

The lab bought a powerful microscope for studying cells and dust.

collocation: powerful microscope

With powerful binoculars, Nora could see boats near the far island.

Common collocations
  • powerful microscope
  • powerful telescope
  • powerful binoculars
  • powerful zoom
Synonyms
  • high-powered

    common for microscopes, lenses, lasers, and other equipment

  • strong

    the usual everyday word for glasses or lenses

Antonyms
  • weak

    used for a lens or signal with little strength

  • low-powered

    used for equipment that enlarges less

Grammar Patterns

a powerful microscope

a powerful telescope

be powerful enough to + verb

a powerful zoom

Usage Note

Common with microscopes, telescopes, binoculars, lenses, and camera zooms. Distinguish from adjective/2, which is about force, not about making an image look larger.

Common Mistakes

I need powerful glasses to read the bus number.
I need strong glasses to read the bus number.
For ordinary glasses, strong is more usual; powerful is common for viewing equipment.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

For adjective/1, powerful is the broad everyday word for a person, group, or country that can shape events and make others respond. Influential is often softer: an influential teacher or writer may change opinions without holding formal authority. Dominant is stronger and often suggests staying above competitors in business, sport, or politics. Commanding often points to a person's presence, voice, or natural authority, so it can sound more personal. Mighty is the most dramatic choice and is common in literary or historical writing. A minister can be powerful in government, a blogger can be influential online, and one company can be dominant in the phone market.

powerful ↗influential ↗dominant ↗commandingmighty ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • very powerful
  • extremely powerful
  • surprisingly powerful

Phrases

  • become more powerful
  • one of the most powerful

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Powerful is built from power and the adjective ending -ful. English power came through French from Latin roots linked to being able. The earliest meaning was simply 'full of power', and from there the word spread to people with influence, things with great force, strong effects, and equipment that can enlarge what we see.