Great Power

American

noun

a nation that has exceptional military and economic strength, and consequently plays a major, often decisive, role in international affairs.

Great Power British

noun

a nation that has exceptional political influence, resources, and military strength

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of Great Power

First recorded in 1725–35

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In 2005, an adviser to President Hu Jintao wrote an influential Foreign Affairs essay, “China’s ‘Peaceful Rise’ to Great-Power Status,” expanding on the concept of China as a quiet great power.

From Washington Post • Jun. 25, 2020

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023