having great power or force or potency or effect
"the most powerful government in western Europe"
"his powerful arms"
"a powerful bomb"
"the horse's powerful kick"
"powerful drugs"
"a powerful argument"
Having, or capable of exerting power, potency or influence.
"The new CEO proved to be a powerful force in the industry, reshaping market trends within months of taking office."
In plain English: Powerful means having great strength or ability to do something important.
"The powerful engine made the car accelerate quickly up the hill."
Usage: Use powerful to describe anything that possesses great strength, force, or ability to produce significant effects. It applies correctly to both physical objects, like a powerful engine, and abstract concepts, such as a powerful argument.
Synonym of very
"The powerful storm knocked out electricity across the entire city."
In plain English: Powerfully means doing something with great strength or force.
"The powerful engine roared to life with a deep, rumbling sound."
Usage: Do not use "powerful" as an adverb to mean "very," because it is an adjective; instead, use words like "highly" or "extremely." For example, say "highly effective" rather than the incorrect "powerful effective."
The word powerful comes from Middle English, where it was originally formed by combining the words power and full. It entered modern usage through a straightforward combination of these two existing terms to describe someone or something possessing great strength.