strength

noun

ˈstreŋ(k)th How to pronounce strength (audio)
Definition of strengthnext
1
as in power
the ability to exert effort for the accomplishment of a task the murdered man's wife didn't have the emotional strength to face reporters

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in reliability
the ability to withstand force or stress without being distorted, dislodged, or damaged this cheap shelving unit doesn't have the strength to hold all those books

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun strength contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of strength are energy, force, might, and power. While all these words mean "the ability to exert effort," strength applies to the quality or property of a person or thing that makes possible the exertion of force or the withstanding of strain, pressure, or attack.

use weight training to build your strength

When might energy be a better fit than strength?

While in some cases nearly identical to strength, energy applies to power expended or capable of being transformed into work.

a worker with boundless energy

When can force be used instead of strength?

Although the words force and strength have much in common, force implies the actual effective exercise of power.

used enough force to push the door open

When is it sensible to use might instead of strength?

The words might and strength can be used in similar contexts, but might implies great or overwhelming power or strength.

the belief that might makes right

When could power be used to replace strength?

In some situations, the words power and strength are roughly equivalent. However, power may imply latent or exerted physical, mental, or spiritual ability to act or be acted upon.

the awesome power of flowing water

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of strength The campaign is centered around the strength of love and was captured by renowned photographer Harley Weir. —Mecca Pryor, Essence, 4 Apr. 2025 President Trump has always understood that the strength of a democracy lies not in its press releases, but in its ability to tolerate real, meaningful political competition. —Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Apr. 2025 The evidence for why CEOs could be automated is pretty clear: Although CEOs can be valuable as company figureheads, much of their work consists of budgeting, tracking a company’s performance, and making executive decisions based on data — all strengths of AI. —Mark Dent, HubSpot, 4 Apr. 2025 Miami Herald | Tribune News Service | Getty Images Trump touted a better-than-expected March jobs report as proof of the strength of his agenda. —Kevin Breuninger,dan Mangan,ruxandra Iordache, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for strength
Recent Examples of Synonyms for strength
  1. power
  2. reliability
  3. energy
  4. stability
  5. muscle
Noun
  • Everybody else has no choice, really, other than to bring a cruel, narcissistic far-right leader to power.
    — Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Intake leverages the power of Ivalua’s gen AI and low code/no code configuration to automate and orchestrate processes across any system.
    — Sarah Jones, Sourcing Journal, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of power
Noun
  • Over the past decade, Rory has cultivated a company culture rooted in integrity, reliability, and positivity.
    — USA Today, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
  • The integration of these monitoring components creates a robust MLOps environment capable of handling the complexities of production ML systems while maintaining high performance and reliability standards.
    — Neel Sendas, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of reliability
Noun
  • Alexander Smirnov was sentenced to six years in prison in January after pleading guilty to lying to his FBI handler about the Biden family's ties to a Ukrainian energy company -- in addition to a series of unrelated tax fraud charges.
    — Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Wade scored 157 points over the last four games, all Heat wins, and turned in a damn-near-perfect performance in the elimination game, playing with relentless energy on both sides of the ball.
    — D. Watkins, The Atlantic, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of energy
Noun
  • Preserve & Grow Wealth with Risk-Focused Quality Portfolios For investors seeking a blend of stability and attractive returns, PM stock serves as a strategic choice.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Stock market futures slumped and bond yields spiked amid concerns over financial and economic stability brought on by the tit-for-tat exchange between the two nations.
    — Jeff Cox, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of stability
Noun
  • According to the Mayo Clinic, ALS causes loss of muscle control and there is currently no cure for this disease.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Eating cottage cheese before bed helps stimulate muscle protein synthesis, which can help support a healthy metabolism.
    — Veronica Cristino, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of muscle

Browse Nearby Words

streetwise
strength
strengthen
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Cite this Entry

“Strength.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/strength. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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