potent

¹ American  

[poht-nt] / ˈpoʊt nt /

adjective

1. powerful; mighty.

   a potent fighting force.

   Synonyms:

   puissant, strong

   Antonyms:

   weak

2. cogent; persuasive.

   Several potent arguments were in his favor.

3. producing powerful physical or chemical effects.

   a potent drug.

4. having or exercising great power or influence.

   a potent factor in the economy.

   Synonyms:

   influential

   Antonyms:

   ineffectual

5. (of a male) capable of sexual intercourse.

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potent ² American  

[poht-nt] / ˈpoʊt nt /

noun

1. 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.

2. a T -shaped form used in potent or counterpotent.

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adjective

1. (of a cross) having a crosspiece at the extremity of each arm.

   a cross potent.

potent ¹ British  

/ ˈpəʊtənt /

adjective

1. possessing great strength; powerful

2. (of arguments, etc) persuasive or forceful

3. influential or authoritative

4. tending to produce violent physical or chemical effects

   a potent poison

5. (of a male) capable of having sexual intercourse

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potent ² British  

/ ˈpəʊtənt /

adjective

1. heraldry (of a cross) having flat bars across the ends of the arms

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Usage

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.

Synonym Usage

See powerful.

Other Word Forms

• potentness
  noun
• potently
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of potent¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; from Latin potent- (stem of potēns ), present participle of posse “to be able, have power”; see also potent

Origin of potent²

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English potente “crutch, staff, support,” from Middle French potente, potence “crutch, support,” ultimately from Medieval Latin potentia, Latin: power, potency; see also potent ¹ ( def. )

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Explanation

Potent means really strong, but not like a body builder. Use potent instead to describe things like intense smells, powerful magic potions, and very influential people. From the Latin potentum, meaning “powerful,” potent is just that: having tremendous strength or influence in either a moral or physical sense. A potent question gets to the heart of the matter and sparks serious discussion. Really stiff drinks can be potent, as can your breath after a garlicky meal. And as the composer Igor Stravinsky once asked, "What force is more potent than love?"

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

potent

It’s a potent mixture to be comforting and intriguing.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

With this information, scammers may be able to craft potent phishing attack emails or phone calls.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

The new model's electric motors are potent, producing about 1000 horsepower and allowing it to accelerate from 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds.

From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026

The U.S. had a potent team, including California-born Matteo Jorgenson and hirsute Coloradan Quinn Simmons, but they would need to make their own luck.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

I had never loved a man before, physically, and I’ve read enough of both Jane Eyre and Brenda Starr to know every first love is potent.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver

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Related Words

• compelling
• dominant
• dynamic
• great
• impressive
• influential
• persuasive
• powerful
• robust
• strong
• useful
• vigorous

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