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Prowess is a word with a lot to be proud of. Not only has it performed gallantly for the English language since the 13th century, but it has stayed relatively stalwart in hewing to its original meaning, which is quite a flex. When prowess first joined the ranks of the lexicon, it could be used to refer to bravery, skill, and valor—especially those virtues as encountered in military contexts—or to individual acts of derring-do. The latter was usually used in the plural, as when people waxed rhapsodic about the “prowesses” of knights or some such. Today’s “extraordinary ability” meaning, which developed in the 17th century, tends to stick to the singular form, as when it’s used to describe those with intellectual prowess, or to someone known for their prowess as a fundraiser.
Examples of prowess in a Sentence
Jeff Gluck, The Athletic, 22 Feb. 2025
Stafford would immediately elevate the offensive prowess of the team and could combine with perennial tight end Brock Bowers to create a dynamic pass-catching duo.
—Mark Joseph, Newsweek, 22 Feb. 2025
Her husband, a Columbus Blue Jackets winger who won the nickname for his prowess on the ice, died alongside his brother, Matthew Gaudreau, a high school hockey coach, in a bike crash on Aug. 29, 2024.
—Sam Gillette, People.com, 21 Feb. 2025
Buoyed by former Senator Richard C. Shelby, a Republican with a legendary prowess for earmarking and sending money to his state, the base now houses the space center, F.B.I. offices, Army missile programs and rocketry research.
—Eduardo Medina, New York Times, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prowess
Cite this Entry
“Prowess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prowess. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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prowess
noun
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