power 1 of 2

1
2
3
as in faculty
a natural ability of the mind or body dogs have a very highly developed power of smell

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4
as in fuel
something with a usable capacity for doing work nuclear power

Synonyms & Similar Words

power

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun power contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of power are authority, command, control, dominion, jurisdiction, and sway. While all these words mean "the right to govern or rule or determine," power implies possession of ability to wield force, authority, or influence.

the power to mold public opinion

When can authority be used instead of power?

Although the words authority and power have much in common, authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits.

granted the authority to manage her estate

When might command be a better fit than power?

While in some cases nearly identical to power, command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience.

the army officer in command

When would control be a good substitute for power?

The meanings of control and power largely overlap; however, control stresses the power to direct and restrain.

you are responsible for the students under your control

In what contexts can dominion take the place of power?

The words dominion and power are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority.

given dominion over all the animals

When could jurisdiction be used to replace power?

The synonyms jurisdiction and power are sometimes interchangeable, but jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits.

the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

Where would sway be a reasonable alternative to power?

In some situations, the words sway and power are roughly equivalent. However, sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence.

the empire extended its sway over the region

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of power
Noun
Much still needs doing before the Klamath once again regains its health and powers the salmon, steelhead and lamprey stocks in the Pacific. Shaun McKinnon, AZCentral.com, 15 July 2025 Among the projects will be the construction of data centers to help provide the enormous amounts of energy needed to power AI. Jessica Riley, CBS News, 15 July 2025
Verb
The East Asian power provided air defense systems to the Balkan nation to help protect its airspace, raising concerns in the United States about Serbia's path toward European integration. Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025 There was still power in the dining hall, which ran on a generator, and students would gather regularly at the same time each day to discuss the state of the roads. Jessica Pishko, New Yorker, 15 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for power
Recent Examples of Synonyms for power
Noun
  • And there’s no attempt to mask the scent of Soviet-style control here.
    Clare Sebastian, CNN Money, 11 July 2025
  • As air boss of the USS Midway, Jumper guided scores of evacuation helicopters onto the aircraft carrier’s deck during a chaotic, hair-raising 30-hour period in April 1975, as North Vietnamese forces were taking control of Saigon.
    Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Meanwhile, energy was a large source of inflation, with energy prices rising 0.9% on a month-over-month basis.
    Anne Marie D. Lee, CBS News, 15 July 2025
  • Carbohydrates are macronutrients that your body breaks down for energy.
    Sarah Bence, Verywell Health, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • Students and faculty have organized protests, rallies, social media campaigns, and public meetings to demand that their police departments withdraw from the agreement.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 12 July 2025
  • Two small-school shoutouts Williams-Amherst: The Division III rivalry was born back in 1821 when Zephaniah Swift Moore, then-Williams president, took a selection of faculty and students and started Amherst College 60 miles away.
    David Ubben, New York Times, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • This syngas has a wide range of potential applications, including the production of hydrogen fuel.
    David Blekhman, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Buc-ee’s has $25 million in annual gross taxable sales, which comes in part from its 18 million gallons of fuel sold each year, according to the presentation.
    Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • This happens when water in front of the tire builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can push water out of the way.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2025
  • The president has moved aggressively by pushing legal boundaries and testing the limits of executive power.
    Zac Anderson, USA Today, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • After confederation, Canada strove to be the most British dominion in the British empire.
    Stephen Marche, The Atlantic, 1 July 2025
  • These were inhabitants of the Real East Coast who, even in the late 2000s, were still under the impression that hip-hop’s having been created in their territory granted them indefinite dominion over how the genre’s rhythm and presentation were supposed to feel.
    Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2025
Noun
  • So the issue now is time — time needed to build back his arm strength.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
  • In America, excellence, grit, and determination is our strength.
    James Bickerton, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • Hesitation may also be tied to doubts about AI’s capabilities—to make unbiased recommendations and assessments, for example.
    Corinne Post, Forbes.com, 16 July 2025
  • The order also called on federal agencies to consolidate their firefighting capabilities for efficiency, and to deploy technology including artificial intelligence to better fight fires.
    Brandon Loomis, AZCentral.com, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Power.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/power. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.

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