powerful

[[t]pa͟ʊə(r)fʊl[/t]]

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1) ADJ-GRADED A powerful person or organization is able to control or influence people and events.

→ See also all-powerful

You're a powerful man - people will listen to you.

...Russia and India, two large, powerful countries.

...Hong Kong's powerful business community.

Syn:

influential

Ant:

powerless

2) ADJ-GRADED You say that someone's body is powerful when it is physically strong.

Hans flexed his powerful muscles...

It's such a big powerful dog.

Syn:

strong

Ant:

weak

Derived words:

powerfully ADV-GRADED ADV with v

He is described as a strong, powerfully-built man of 60...

You can contract your muscles more powerfully by linking up your breathing to the exercise.

3) ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n A powerful machine or substance is effective because it is very strong.

The more powerful the car the more difficult it is to handle.

...powerful computer systems...

Alcohol is also a powerful and fast-acting drug.

Derived words:

powerfully ADV ADV adj

Crack is a much cheaper, smokable form of cocaine which is powerfully addictive.

4) ADJ-GRADED: usu ADJ n A powerful smell is very strong.

There was a powerful smell of stale beer.

...tiny creamy flowers with a powerful scent.

Syn:

strong

Derived words:

powerfully ADV-GRADED ADV after v

The railway station smelt powerfully of cats and drains.

5) ADJ-GRADED A powerful voice is loud and can be heard from a long way away.

At that moment Mrs. Jones's powerful voice interrupted them, announcing a visitor.

Syn:

loud

6) ADJ-GRADED You describe a piece of writing, speech, or work of art as powerful when it has a strong effect on people's feelings or beliefs.

...Bleasdale's powerful 11-part drama about a corrupt city leader.

...one of the world's most powerful and moving operas, Verdi's `Otello'.

...a powerful new style of dance-theatre.

Derived words:

powerfully ADV-GRADED ADV -ed, ADV after v

It's a play - painful, funny and powerfully acted.