powerful

4. (of a person or an animal) physically strong
Syn: muscular
• a powerful body
• a powerful athlete
Derived Word: powerfully
Thesaurus:
powerful [powerful powerfully] adj.
1.
• She is one of the most powerful women in politics.
influential • • important • • great • • dominant • • high-powered • |approving strong •
Opp: weak, Opp: powerless
a/an powerful/influential/important/great/dominant/strong figure/leader/position
a/an powerful/influential/important/dominant individual/group
a/an powerful/important/great/dominant/strong influence
Which word? Powerful people such as politicians use their position to control events. Influential people change other people's opinions or behaviour because people respect and listen to them. Important people influence other people or events because people respect them or because their position means their actions have a great effect. Strong people are confident and have leadership qualities.
2. (especially written, usually approving)
• He was lithe and powerful as an athlete.
strong • • muscular •
Opp: weak
(a) powerful/strong/muscular build/body/arms/legs
powerful/strong muscles/jaws
Example Bank:
• a politically powerful figure
• locally powerful landowners
• He is one of the most powerful directors in Hollywood.
• He was lithe and powerful as an athlete.
• He was the most powerful man in the country after the king.
• It is a country where religious leaders are often more powerful than politicians.
• This extremist movement has become increasingly powerful in recent years.
• When she trots she covers ground like a powerful horse rather than a pony.

• Why are there still so few women in politically powerful positions?

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

powerful

[pa͟ʊə(r)fʊl]
♦♦
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.