powerhouse

Language: en

🇺🇸 /ˈpaʊɜrˌhaʊs/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    A person, organization, or country that is extremely powerful, energetic, or influential in a particular field.; A building or facility where electrical power is generated; a power station or power plant.; A person of great energy, drive, or physical strength.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: powerhouses

Collocations

economic powerhouseindustrial powerhousecreative powerhousepowerhouse of energypolitical powerhousemanufacturing powerhouse

Synonyms

dynamojuggernauttitanforcegiantheavyweight

Antonyms

lightweightweakling

Commonly confused

power station
EN: 'Power station' refers literally to a facility that generates electricity; 'powerhouse' can mean this but is more commonly used figuratively for a very powerful person or organization.
power
EN: 'Power' is the general abstract concept of strength or ability; 'powerhouse' specifically denotes an entity that possesses or generates great power.

Spelling tips

EN: Write 'powerhouse' as one word, not 'power house' (two words). The compound is fully closed in modern usage.

💬 Examples

  1. China has become an economic powerhouse in the 21st century.

  2. The old powerhouse on the river was converted into a museum.

  3. She is a powerhouse on the tennis court, dominating every match she plays.