Pronunciations (4)
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/ˈpaʊəfl̩/
Pronunciation notes
- Received-Pronunciation
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/ˈpaʊɚfl̩/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
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ˈpaʊɚfəl
Pronunciation notes
- US
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ˈpaʊəfəl
Pronunciation notes
- GB
Adjective
Having, or capable of exerting, power or influence.
- Examples
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The powerful grace that lies / In herbs, plants, stones, and their true qualities.
[T]he ſubſtance of gold is indeed invincible by the povverfulleſt action of natural heat, […]
More examples (3)
As soon as Julia returned with a constable, Timothy, who was on the point of exhaustion, prepared to give over to him gratefully. The newcomer turned out to be a powerful youngster, fully trained and eager to help, and he stripped off his tunic at once.
Dear Political Activists All your chanting, marching, voting, picketing, boycotting and letter-writing will not change a thing; you will never right the wrongs of this world. The only thing your activity will accomplish is to make some of you feel better. Such activity makes powerless people feel useful, and provides them the illusion that they're making a difference. But it doesn't work. Nothing changes. The powerful keep the power. That's why they're called the powerful.
Earth is surrounded by a magnetosphere — an invisible bubble of magnetism generated by the powerful churning of molten metals at Earth’s core.
Leading to many or important deductions.
- Synonyms
- Examples
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a powerful set of postulates
a powerful theorem
Large; capacious; said of veins of ore.
Being a powerful number.
Usage- not-comparable
- Synonyms
Adverb
very; extremely
Usage- Southern-US
- Archaic
- dialectal
- Examples
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More examples (2)
"Well, you see, Thady, we'd a powerful great harvist uv it, you know, this year, an' the min all worked like jewels, as they are; an' the masther was in great sperits, an' he promis'd he'd give us all a grand dinner whin the dhrawin'-in was over, an' the corn all safe in the haggard."
Above all, she remembered that first time in the Houmfor where her black nurse had once taken her as a child. 'It do yuh no harm, Missy. Dis powerful good juju. Care fe yuh res 'f yo life.'
"She was stinkin' hot down here that summer, an' we were powerful dry."
Adjective
having great power or force or potency or effect
- Antonyms
- Examples
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the most powerful government in western Europe
his powerful arms
More examples (4)
a powerful bomb
the horse's powerful kick
powerful drugs
a powerful argument
strong enough to knock down or overwhelm
- Synonyms
- Examples
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a knock-down blow
having great influence
- Synonyms
(of a person) possessing physical strength and weight; rugged and powerful
- Examples
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a hefty athlete
a muscular boxer
More examples (1)
powerful arms
displaying superhuman strength or power
- Synonyms
- Examples
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herculean exertions
Adverb
(Southern regional intensive) very; to a great degree
- Examples
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the baby is mighty cute
he's mighty tired
More examples (4)
it is powerful humid
that boy is powerful big now
they have a right nice place
they rejoiced mightily