How to pronounce powerful
Say it like POW-er-ful. Powerful has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POW).
VoiceSpeed
US American/ˈpaʊɚfəl/POW-er-ful
UK British/ˈpaʊəfəl/POW-uh-ful
- POW
- er
- ful
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Powerful pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- POWSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ow" in now.
- erKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- fulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of powerful
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: POW-uh-ful.
What does powerful mean?
adjective
- having great power or force or potency or effect“the most powerful government in western Europe”“his powerful arms”
- strong enough to knock down or overwhelm“a knock-down blow”
- having great influence
- (Southern regional intensive) very; to a great degree“the baby is mighty cute”“he's mighty tired”
Where does powerful come from?
From Middle English pouerful, powarfull.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying powerful
How do you pronounce powerful?
Say POW-er-ful. The American pronunciation is /ˈpaʊɚfəl/. In British English it is /ˈpaʊəfəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in powerful?
Powerful has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (POW). Broken into parts: POW · er · ful.
Is powerful pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /ˈpaʊəfəl/ (POW-uh-ful).