powerhouse

[pou-er-hous]

noun

plural

powerhouses 

1. Electricity.,  a generating station.

2. a person, group, team, or the like, having great energy, strength, or potential for success.

powerhouse

/ ˈpaʊəˌhaʊs /

noun

1. an electrical generating station or plant

2. informal,  a forceful or powerful person or thing

Word History and Origins

Origin of powerhouse¹

First recorded in 1880–85; power + house

Example Sentences

MILWAUKEE—By every conventional measure, the Milwaukee Brewers should be the furthest thing from an offensive powerhouse.

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Now, less than six months later, prohibitively high tariffs could be the reality again for Chau and tens of thousands of other factory owners that make China a global manufacturing powerhouse.

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But let it never be said that this powerhouse singer and songwriter rules without mercy.

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When it comes to local colleagues near my Canadian home, Thomas is a networking powerhouse.

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The goal, in the words of Variety, is to take it “from a sleepy theater company into an entertainment powerhouse with a hand in everything from gaming to movies to consumer products.”

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Related Words

• active 
• adequate 
• compelling 
• competent 
• direct 
• efficient 
• forceful 
• impressive 
• potent 
• powerful 
• practical 
• successful 
• useful 
• valid 

When To Use

What does powerhouse mean?

A powerhouse is a powerful, forceful, or dominant person, group, or thing.In a literal sense, a powerhouse is a station or plant that generates electricity. Although it can still be used this way, terms like power plant and power station are much more common. Powerhouse is far more commonly used in the figurative way, especially in context of sports and business.Example: Because they always win, they can always recruit the best players, which makes them a perennial powerhouse in the conference.