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potent
1[ poht-nt ]
adjective
- powerful; mighty:
a potent fighting force.
Antonyms: weak
- cogent; persuasive:
Several potent arguments were in his favor.
- producing powerful physical or chemical effects:
a potent drug.
- having or exercising great power or influence:
a potent factor in the economy.
Synonyms: influential
Antonyms: ineffectual
- (of a male) capable of sexual intercourse.
potent
2[ poht-nt ]
noun
- a fur having a pattern of T -shaped forms, placed in alternate directions and having alternating tinctures, one metal and one color, so that all forms of one tincture face the same way and are between, above, and below forms of the other tincture facing the other way.
- a T -shaped form used in potent or counterpotent.
adjective
- (of a cross) having a crosspiece at the extremity of each arm:
a cross potent.
potent
1/ ˈpəʊtənt /
adjective
- heraldry (of a cross) having flat bars across the ends of the arms
potent
2/ ˈpəʊtənt /
adjective
- possessing great strength; powerful
- (of arguments, etc) persuasive or forceful
- influential or authoritative
- tending to produce violent physical or chemical effects
a potent poison
- (of a male) capable of having sexual intercourse
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Derived Forms
- ˈpotentness, noun
- ˈpotently, adverb
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Other Words From
- po·tent·ly adverb
- po·tent·ness noun
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Word History and Origins
Origin of potent1
Origin of potent2
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Word History and Origins
Origin of potent1
Origin of potent2
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Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
This is potent enough to really taste the sweetness in each drop of sap.
But, based on early data, the vaccines appear less potent against a variant that was first identified in South Africa and has been found in the United States.
He led the Milwaukee Braves to the World Series championship in 1957, when he was 23, and remained a potent force at the plate into his 40s.
Monitor lizards — naïve to the toads’ potent toxins — will eat the amphibians, with lethal consequences.
In a race to catch up with emerging coronavirus variants, wealthy countries are already benefiting from potent vaccines.
The benefits of incumbency are quite potent, especially in the all-important area of raising campaign funds.
I said that mixture of glamour and vulnerability is potent, especially if you can sense the vulnerability.
It was so potent, given all the ways the world is breaking many people, his people, down.
That all-American iconography has always been so potent in the Superman myth.
The potent shared interest in defeating ISIS is one such avenue.
The voice is the most potent influence of expression, the winged messenger between soul and soul.
Old feuds were settled in the old way and six inches of steel were more potent than the longest Order in Council.
The upraised hand, the potent silence, the solemn gaze of a hundred eyes was too much for the old man to bear.
A more potent and public method of ridicule would be difficult to devise.
After all she, Hilda, possessed some mysterious characteristic more potent than the elegance and the goodness of Janet Orgreave.
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More About Potent
What does potent mean?
Potent means strong, powerful, and effective.
It’s commonly applied to things that produce a powerful physical or chemical effect, especially medications and drugs.
It can also be used in a more general way to describe the power or effectiveness of someone or something, such as a leader or a statement.
The noun form of potent is potency.
Example: The medicine is extremely potent, which means that it needs to be used very carefully according to the instructions.
Where does potent come from?
The first records of the word potent come from around the 1300s. It ultimately derives from the Latin potentia, meaning “power.” The word potential comes from the same root.
Potent is perhaps most commonly used in a medical context, in which it’s used to describe something that can have a strong effect on the body. A potent drug is one that will have a very strong effect. For example, some strains of cannabis are more potent than others. When a drug is said to become more or less potent under certain circumstances, this means it becomes stronger or weaker depending on those conditions. While the word is usually used in reference to a drug, it can also be used in reference to a disease. A disease can become more or less potent when it mutates, for example.
More generally, potent is used to describe someone or something strong or powerful. An argument is potent if it is forceful and persuasive. A leader can be described as potent if they wield power effectively. A pungent smell can be described as potent. A strong alcoholic drink might also be called potent, as in Wow, those were some potent potables, Alex!
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to potent?
- potency (noun)
- potently (adverb)
- potentness (noun)
What are some synonyms for potent?
What are some words that share a root or word element with potent?
What are some words that often get used in discussing potent?
How is potent used in real life?
Potent can be used in many different contexts, but it’s most commonly used in relation to how powerful a drug is.
US health officials have issued a warning about marijuana’s effects on developing brains. They say a change in attitudes toward cannabis has created a false sense of security about the increasingly potent drug.
MORE on marijuana: https://t.co/SuxCyD048Ahttps://t.co/kCjeAXoNws
— AP West Region (@APWestRegion) August 29, 2019
A top doctor in Italy was slammed by the @WHO emergencies chief for suggesting the novel coronavirus may be becoming less potent; researchers cautioned that clinical results from Italy likely do not reflect any actual change in the virus. https://t.co/D4atQd4qvr
— Global Health NOW (@ghn_news) June 2, 2020
"The Most Potent Weapon in the Hands of the Oppressor is the Mind of the Oppressed" – Steve Biko
I am reminded of the truth of this statement whenever I encounter Kenyans willing to make all sorts of mental contortions to justify privileges a few enjoy at the expense of the many.— gathara (@gathara) June 7, 2019
Try using potent!
Is potent used correctly in the following sentence?
The medication will become less potent if kept in the sunlight.
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