pow
interjection
(used to express or indicate a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.)
pow
1 American
[pou]
/ paʊ /
interjection
noun
-
a heavy blow or a loud, explosive noise.
-
the power of exciting.
adjective
pow
2
American
[poh, pou]
/ poʊ, paʊ /
noun
Scot. and North England.
POW
3
American
Or
P.O.W.
POW
1
British
abbreviation
pow
2
British
/ paʊ /
interjection
pow
3
British
/ paʊ /
noun
pow
4
British
/ paʊ /
noun
Etymology
Origin of pow1
An Americanism dating back to 1880–85
Origin of pow2
First recorded in 1715–25; variant of poll 1
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.
See Examples For:
His wife, Jenna Dramise, also posted on Instagram, saying “tonight I hope to ride some pow or bikes with you in my dreams.”
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 30, 2023
"Toy soldiers, all that jazz. Even now I'm like, 'pow, pow, pow,' on the tour bus."
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2022
Certain arrivals deserve leisurely appreciation, dishes including pork pow, slightly chewy Chinese steamed buns filled with juicy crumbled pork and lit with habanero sauce.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 10, 2022
“They’re still great works of art, but they lose their pow factor. If it loses that ability to hurt your eyes, it’s no longer effective.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2019
He made a loud pow sound and pretended like he had shot.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
“Of course, we’re familiar with the history and the events,” said Matthew DeFelice, another forensic underwater archaeologist with the POW agency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Historians with the POW agency began combing through archives, including passenger rosters and survivor accounts, around the early 2010s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
Diplomatic sources told AFP that conditions are typically better in POW facilities than regular Ukrainian prisons.
From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026
The two sides failed to agree a ceasefire at the May meeting and two follow-ups in June and July, brokering only a major POW swap involving thousands of prisoners.
From Barron's ● Jan. 23, 2026
I copy the address into the margin of my notes, and then outline it in zigzags like a comic book POW!
From "Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda" by Becky Albertalli
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
