all-powerful

IPA/ˌɔːl ˈpaʊəfl/
IPA/ˌɔːl ˈpaʊərfl/

all-powerful — adjective

1. able to do anything and not limited by anyone else, often used about a god, rule

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

able to do anything and not limited by anyone else, often used about a god, ruler, or organization whose decisions cannot be challenged.

Example

Many ancient peoples believed in an all-powerful sky god who shaped the weather and harvests.

attributive use: an all-powerful + noun (deity)

By 1935, Stalin had become the all-powerful leader of the Soviet Union.

the all-powerful + role noun for a single dominant figure

Common collocations
  • an all-powerful god
  • an all-powerful ruler
  • an all-powerful state
  • the all-powerful military
  • seem all-powerful
  • appear all-powerful
Synonyms
  • omnipotent

    more formal and theological; the standard word for a god with unlimited power

  • almighty

    often capitalised for God; in lowercase it sounds slightly old-fashioned or grand

  • supreme

    stresses being at the very top of a system rather than having unlimited power itself

  • absolute

    usually pairs with 'ruler', 'monarch', or 'power'; emphasises that no rules limit the holder

Antonyms
  • powerless

    completely unable to act or influence anything

  • weak

    general opposite; less dramatic than 'powerless'

Grammar Patterns

the all-powerful + noun

be all-powerful

Usage Note

Subject is usually a god, ruler, government, or large institution — not an ordinary person. Often carries a slight negative tone, suggesting power that nobody can check or oppose.

Common Mistakes

My boss is all-powerful in the meeting.
My boss dominates every meeting.
'all-powerful' is too strong for everyday office authority; reserve it for gods, rulers, or huge institutions.
all powerful' (two words).
all-powerful' (hyphenated).
the hyphen is required when the phrase modifies a noun or stands alone as an adjective.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All five words describe overwhelming power, but they differ in tone and where they fit. 'Omnipotent' is the most formal and is the textbook word for a god with no limits — common in philosophy and theology. 'Almighty' has a similar meaning but feels older and is often capitalised when it refers to God; in lowercase it sounds grand or slightly humorous, as in 'the almighty dollar'. 'All-powerful' is plainer and works in journalism or fiction for rulers, states, or companies whose decisions nobody can stop. 'Supreme' stresses rank — being at the top of a system — rather than having unlimited strength, so a 'supreme commander' may still answer to a constitution. 'Absolute' usually pairs with 'ruler', 'monarch', or 'power' and highlights the absence of legal limits. Compare: 'an omnipotent god', 'an all-powerful dictator', 'a supreme court', 'an absolute monarch'.

all-powerful ↗omnipotent ↗almighty ↗supreme ↗absolute ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • seemingly all-powerful
  • once all-powerful
  • now all-powerful

Phrases

  • the all-powerful state
  • an all-powerful figure
  • answer to no one

Prepositions

  • all-powerful over (a region)
  • all-powerful in (a field)

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

A straightforward English compound formed by joining 'all' (meaning 'every; the whole of') with 'powerful' (from Old French 'pouair' plus the suffix '-ful' meaning 'full of'). The pattern of putting 'all-' in front of an adjective to mean 'completely' was already common in Middle English, giving us 'all-knowing' and 'all-seeing' alongside 'all-powerful'. From the 1500s onward it was used mainly in religious writing about God, and only later spread to political and everyday descriptions of overwhelming authority.