potent
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
very strong and having a powerful effect on your body or mind.
possessing great power, influence, or physical effect; often used to describe substances or persuasive forces.
Simple“The doctor warned her that the new medicine was very potent and might cause sleepiness.”
In context“The documentary provided a potent reminder of the environmental challenges facing the region, sparking immediate public debate and policy review.”
- 02 C1 Advanced
having a very strong smell, taste, or chemical strength.
chemically or biologically concentrated; producing a strong sensory or physiological reaction.
Simple“The potent smell of onions filled the entire house while he was cooking.”
In context“The laboratory analysis confirmed that the sample contained a potent neurotoxin, necessitating immediate containment protocols to protect the staff.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
able to have sex or produce children.
referring to a male's ability to achieve an erection or to procreate.
Simple“The farmer checked if the bull was still potent enough to breed with the herd.”
In context“Clinical studies focused on whether the treatment allowed patients to remain potent throughout the duration of the long-term therapy.”
“Methane is about 30 times more potent as a greenhouse gas, though only in the short term because it breaks down more quickly over 10 to 15 years.”
“More than a dozen Penn State University students ran a cocaine-trafficking ring that cut and packaged the potent drug mainly at two fraternity houses, authorities said on Monday.”
From Middle English potent, borrowed from Latin potens, potentis (“powerful, strong, potent”), present participle of posse (“to be able”), from potis (“able, powerful, originally a lord, master”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.