firepower

noun

fire·​pow·​er ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌpau̇(-ə)r 

1

a

: the capacity (as of a military unit) to deliver effective fire on a target

b

: effective fire

2

a

: effective power or force

intellectual firepower

b

: the scoring ability of a team or player

Synonyms of firepower

• power
• strength
• energy
• capability
• muscle
• capacity

Examples of firepower in a Sentence

The army didn't have the firepower to defeat the invaders.

right now the President doesn't have the political firepower to push his programs through Congress

Recent Examples on the Web

But the royals, with their pomp and circumstance, bring a special kind of diplomatic firepower, and the king will no doubt do his best to navigate the currents in the relationship, and quell the troubled waters. —Holly Williams, CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026

What will Patrick Mahomes think about that rather than adding firepower offensively? —Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026

There was no shortage of offensive firepower on both sides, especially the visiting dugout, but San Francisco and Los Angeles combined to score just 10 runs during this three-game series. —Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026

Beyond a consequential pandemic, alumni magazines routinely grapple with matters that intellectually curious readers care about and that the academy’s intellectual firepower can unpack. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for firepower

• candlepower
• cauliflower
• overpower
• superpower
• vavasour
• waterpower
• airpower
• brainpower
• devour
• empower
• horsepower
• manpower

Kids Definition

firepower

noun

fire·​pow·​er -ˌpau̇(-ə)r 

: the ability to deliver gunfire or warheads on a target