horsepower

noun

horse·​pow·​er ˈhȯrs-ˌpau̇(-ə)r 

1

: the power that a horse exerts in pulling

2

: a unit of power equal in the U.S. to 746 watts and nearly equivalent to the English gravitational unit of the same name that equals 550 foot-pounds of work per second

3

: effective power

intellectual horsepower

computing horsepower

Synonyms

• energy
• firepower
• force
• might
• muscle
• potence
• potency
• power
• puissance
• sinew
• strength
• vigor

Examples of horsepower in a Sentence

an engine with 200 horsepower

that architectural firm probably doesn't have the creative horsepower to produce a truly innovative design

Recent Examples on the Web

For enterprises seeking agility, combining data analytics platform foundations with these cloud data platforms' analytical horsepower is a compelling proposition. —Govinda Rao Banothu, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025

This Samsung Galaxy Tab has plenty of horsepower for it. —K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 3 June 2025

Remove the lavishness, and the SL is also a true sports car, with a 577 horsepower biturbo V8 powerplant. —Morgan Korn, ABC News, 1 June 2025

The tires—in effect, grooved slicks—allow for improved lateral acceleration but also the ability to consistently put the four-figure horsepower down to the asphalt. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, ArsTechnica, 30 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1806, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing horsepower

• shaft horsepower

Rhymes for horsepower

• candlepower
• cauliflower
• overpower
• superpower
• vavasour
• waterpower
• airpower
• brainpower
• devour
• empower
• firepower
• manpower

Kids Definition

horsepower

noun

horse·​pow·​er ˈhȯr-ˌspau̇(-ə)r 

: a unit of power equal in the U.S. to 746 watts and nearly equal to the English unit of the same name that equals 550 foot-pounds of work per second