powerful
gb/pˈaʊɚfəl/ us/pˈaʊɚfəl/
B1
Anglais
~ 1400
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B1
property
1
Having great strength or influence
Being very strong or able to control many things or people.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone/something] is powerful
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes confuse 'powerful' with 'powerless'; remember 'powerful' means having much strength or control, while 'powerless' means having none.
Synonymes
strong (Focuses on physical strength or ability rather than influence.)
|
influential (Emphasizes the ability to affect people’s opinions or actions rather than raw strength.)
Antonymes
weak (Lacking physical strength, influence, or control.)
Collocations
powerful leader
|powerful engine
|powerful country
|powerful speech
|powerful organization
Thèmes
daily life
|politics
|business
|core_vocabulary
|relationships
Exemples
- The president is one of the most powerful people in the country.
- This engine is powerful enough to pull heavy loads.
- She gave a powerful speech that moved everyone in the room.
- The company has become powerful in the tech industry.
- A powerful storm hit the coast last night.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The king was a powerful man.
- This car has a powerful motor.
- He is a powerful player on the team.
- They are a powerful group in the city.
- A powerful wind blew down the trees.
adjective
B2
property
2
Having a strong emotional effect
Making you feel something very strongly.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is powerful
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may confuse emotional power with physical strength; context usually makes it clear.
Synonymes
moving (Focuses on causing deep emotions, often sadness or sympathy.)
|
impactful (Modern term emphasizing noticeable effect or impression.)
Antonymes
unimpressive (Fails to cause strong emotions or effects.)
Collocations
powerful image
|powerful story
|powerful performance
|powerful message
Thèmes
emotions
|art
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The film delivers a powerful message about hope.
- His words had a powerful impact on the audience.
- She painted a powerful image of life in the city.
- The novel is a powerful portrayal of war.
- Music can be a powerful way to connect with people.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The book has a powerful story.
- It was a powerful song that made me cry.
- Her speech was very powerful.
- The photo is powerful and sad.
- It was a powerful moment for us.
adjective
B1
property
3
Producing much force or energy
Making a lot of force or energy.
Schéma d’usage :
[something] is powerful
Synonymes
potent (Often used for substances or tools with strong effects.)
|
high-powered (Informal term for something with high capability or performance.)
Antonymes
weak (Not able to produce much force or energy.)
Collocations
powerful engine
|powerful computer
|powerful signal
Thèmes
science
|technology
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- This is one of the most powerful computers available.
- The medicine is very powerful and works quickly.
- A powerful telescope can see distant galaxies.
- That pump is powerful enough to fill the tank in minutes.
- They used a powerful laser to cut through metal.
Exemples pédagogiques
- This car has a powerful engine.
- The computer is very powerful.
- We need a powerful light for the job.
- He bought a powerful camera.
- The machine is powerful and fast.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
powerful
API
GB/pˈaʊɚfəl/
US/pˈaʊɚfəl/
Syllabes et accentuation
power - ful (2 syllabes)
Stress on 1st syllable (power)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: powerful
Famille de mots
Core family
power
noun B1
powerfully
adverb B2
Related words
empower
verb B1
empowerment
noun C1
Negative and opposite forms
powerless
adjective B1
powerlessness
noun
Advanced or less common
overpower
verb
overpowering
adjective
Expressions
knowledge is power
1/nˈɑlɪd͡ʒ ˈɪz pˈaʊɚ/
idiom
Knowing things gives advantage
If you know more, you can have more control and success.
Exemples
- He always studies because he believes knowledge is power.
- In business, knowledge is power when making decisions.
speak truth to power
1/spˈik tɹˈuθ tə pˈaʊɚ/
idiom
Tell authority unpleasant truths
To tell leaders or people in power what you think is true, even if they do not like it.
Exemples
- Journalists should speak truth to power.
- She spoke truth to power by criticizing the policy in public.
absolute power corrupts absolutely
1/ˈæbsəlˌut pˈaʊɚ kɚˈʌpts ˌæbsəlˈutli/
idiom
formal
Total power causes corruption
If someone has complete power, they will become corrupt.
Exemples
- They say that absolute power corrupts absolutely, which is why checks and balances are important.
- History shows that absolute power corrupts absolutely.
absolute power corrupts absolutely
2/ˈæbsəlˌut pˈaʊɚ kɚˈʌpts ˌæbsəlˈutli/
idiom
literary
Total control leads to corruption
If someone has too much control, they will become dishonest or bad.
Exemples
- History shows that absolute power corrupts absolutely.
- They warned that giving him full control was dangerous because absolute power corrupts absolutely.