as in power
the ability to exert effort for the accomplishment of a task
the president pledged to put the full puissance of the nation into the war effort
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Recent Examples of puissance
The reboot arrives at the peak of reggaeton’s pop puissance, and rightfully incorporates a lot more of the genre and its offshoots — Latin trap included.
—
Washington Post, 26 Nov. 2021
Which of you has the puissance to short-term deep-six me?
—Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2021
The doctrine’s puissance lies in the separation of powers.
—Matt Ford, The New Republic, 14 Jan. 2020
Over the years, when French leaders have called for a Europe puissance (European power), this has often sounded suspiciously like code for French hegemonic ambitions.
—The Economist, 7 Nov. 2019
There was a time when Jupiter was the king of the gods, and any man who doubted his puissance was ipso facto a barbarian and an ignoramus.
—John E. McIntyre, baltimoresun.com, 29 Aug. 2017
Washington Post, 26 Nov. 2021
Which of you has the puissance to short-term deep-six me?
—Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2021
The doctrine’s puissance lies in the separation of powers.
—Matt Ford, The New Republic, 14 Jan. 2020
Over the years, when French leaders have called for a Europe puissance (European power), this has often sounded suspiciously like code for French hegemonic ambitions.
—The Economist, 7 Nov. 2019
There was a time when Jupiter was the king of the gods, and any man who doubted his puissance was ipso facto a barbarian and an ignoramus.
—John E. McIntyre, baltimoresun.com, 29 Aug. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for puissance
Noun
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Critics, even in his own ranks, saw this as an unforgivable breach of a political quarantine designed to keep the AfD out of power.—
Thomas Escritt,
USA TODAY,
24 Feb. 2025
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The 34-year-old displayed his power to deliver blows to Beterbiev while still being able to evade his opponent’s counter attempts.—
Ben Morse,
CNN,
23 Feb. 2025
Noun
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State of play: Boyce will take over a department that is still trying to reach full strength.—
Zachery Eanes,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
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High on vibes, low on reasoning Upon 4.5's release, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman did some expectation tempering on X, writing that the model is strong on vibes but low on analytical strength.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Adjusting schedules based on chronotype After pinpointing your chronotype, Breus recommends tailoring daily activities based on periods of peak energy and productivity levels.—
Amy McGorry,
Fox News,
23 Feb. 2025
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From scheduling home repairs to managing healthcare claims and family logistics, these routine tasks drain energy and productivity.—
Nirit Cohen,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Puissance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/puissance. Accessed 9 Mar. 2025.
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