Might vs. Power: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
"Might" refers to physical strength or force, often implying potential or capability, while "Power" encompasses a broader range of authority, ability, or capacity, including social or political influence.
Key Differences
Scope and Application: Might typically refers to physical strength or force, used often in the context of what could be done. Power, however, is more encompassing, relating to the ability or capacity to do something, and often includes social, political, or personal influence.
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Nov 19, 2023
While might carries a connotation of brute strength or force, power is more associated with control, influence, or authority over others or situations.
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Might is often used in contexts where physical strength or force is emphasized. Power, on the other hand, is employed in a variety of contexts, from political authority to personal capabilities.
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In historical and literary contexts, might often refers to military strength or the physical prowess of individuals or groups. Power is more broadly used to signify influence, authority, or dominion in various fields.
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Might is perceived as a more brute or raw form of strength, whereas power is often viewed as a more structured or institutional form of influence and authority.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Physical strength or force.
Ability, authority, or capacity in a broad sense.
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Connotation
Often implies potential or capability.
Encompasses control, influence, authority.
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Contextual Use
Used in relation to physical or military strength.
Used in a variety of contexts, including social and political.
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Perception
Seen as brute or raw strength.
Viewed as structured or institutional authority.
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Historical Usage
Common in military or physical contexts.
Broadly used to denote various forms of influence and control.
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Might and Power Definitions
Might
Might can suggest a show of force or power.
They won the battle through sheer might.
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Power
Power also refers to physical or mechanical energy.
The power outage affected the entire city.
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Might
Might can denote the possibility or potential in a situation.
He might win the race if he trains hard.
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Power
The ability or capacity to act or do something effectively
Is it in your power to undo this injustice?.
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Might
Might refers to physical strength or force.
The might of the storm was terrifying.
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Power
Often powers A specific capacity, faculty, or aptitude
Her powers of concentration.
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Might
Might often relates to physical prowess or capability.
The athlete's might was unmatched.
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Power
Physical strength or force exerted or capable of being exerted
The power of the waves.
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Might
Might implies the capacity or potential for strength.
With all his might, he lifted the heavy object.
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Power
Effectiveness at moving one's emotions or changing how one thinks
A novel of great power.
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Power
The ability or official capacity to exercise control; authority
How long has that party been in power?.
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Power
The military strength or economic or political influence of a nation or other group
That country projects its power throughout the region.
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Power
A country, nation, or other political unit having great influence or control over others
The western powers.
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Might
(uncountable) Physical strength or force.
He pushed with all his might, but still it would not move.
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Power
Powers(Christianity) The sixth of the nine orders of angels in medieval angelology.
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Power
The energy or motive force by which a physical system or machine is operated
Turbines turned by steam power.
A sailing ship driven by wind power.
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Power
The capacity of a system or machine to operate
A vehicle that runs under its own power.
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Might
(auxiliary) Used to indicate conditional or possible actions.
I might go to the party, but I haven't decided yet.
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Power
Electrical or mechanical energy, especially as used to assist or replace human energy.
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Might
(auxiliary) may Used to indicate permission in past tense.
He asked me if he might go to the party, but I haven't decided yet.
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Power
Electricity supplied to a home, building, or community
A storm that cut off power to the whole region.
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Might
(auxiliary) may Used to indicate possibility in past tense.
I thought that I might go the next day.
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Power
(Physics) The rate at which work is done, expressed as the amount of work per unit time and commonly measured in units such as the watt and horsepower.
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Might
Used to indicate a desired past action that was not done.
Hey man, you might have warned me about the thunderstorm.
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Power
The product of applied potential difference and current in a direct-current circuit.
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Might
(auxiliary) Even though.
I might be in a wheelchair, but I still want to be treated as a lady.
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Power
The product of the effective values of the voltage and current with the cosine of the phase angle between current and voltage in an alternating-current circuit.
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Might
(auxiliary) Used in polite requests for permission
Might I take the last biscuit?
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Might
Used to express certainty.
Yeah, I think we might need something a bit sturdier.
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Might
Force or power of any kind, whether of body or mind; energy or intensity of purpose, feeling, or action; means or resources to effect an object; strength; force; power; ability; capacity.
What so strong,But wanting rest, will also want of might?
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
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Power
(Statistics) In a statistical test, the probability of correctly rejecting the null hypothesis when it is false.
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Power
A measure of the magnification of an optical instrument, such as a microscope or telescope.
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Power
Chiefly Upper Southern US A large number or amount. See Note at powerful.
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Power
Of or relating to political, social, or economic control
A power struggle.
A power base.
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Power
Operated with mechanical or electrical energy in place of bodily exertion
A power tool.
Power car windows.
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Power
Of or relating to the generation or transmission of electricity
Power companies.
Power lines.
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Power
(Informal) Of or relating to influential business or professional practices
A pinstriped suit with a power tie.
Met with high-level executives at a power breakfast.
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Power
Physical force or strength.
He needed a lot of power to hit the ball out of the stadium.
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Power
Electricity or a supply of electricity.
After the pylons collapsed, this town was without power for a few days.
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Power
The strength by which a lens or mirror magnifies an optical image.
We need a microscope with higher power.
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Power
Any of the elementary forms or parts of machines: three primary (the lever, inclined plane, and pulley) and three secondary (the wheel-and-axle, wedge, and screw).
The mechanical powers
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Power
A measure of the effectiveness that a force producing a physical effect has over time. If linear, the quotient of: (force multiplied by the displacement of or in an object) ÷ time. If rotational, the quotient of: (force multiplied by the angle of displacement) ÷ time.
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Power
A product of equal factors (and generalizations of this notion): , read as " to the power of " or the like, is called a power and denotes the product , where appears times in the product; is called the base and the exponent.
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Power
(statistics) The probability that a statistical test will reject the null hypothesis when the alternative hypothesis is true.
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Power
In Christian angelology, an intermediate level of angels, ranked above archangels, but exact position varies by classification scheme.
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Power
(transitive) To provide power for (a mechanical or electronic device).
This CD player is powered by batteries.
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Power
Ability to act, regarded as latent or inherent; the faculty of doing or performing something; capacity for action or performance; capability of producing an effect, whether physical or moral: potency; might; as, a man of great power; the power of capillary attraction; money gives power.
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Power
Ability, regarded as put forth or exerted; strength, force, or energy in action; as, the power of steam in moving an engine; the power of truth, or of argument, in producing conviction; the power of enthusiasm.
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Power
Capacity of undergoing or suffering; fitness to be acted upon; susceptibility; - called also passive power; as, great power of endurance.
Power, then, is active and passive; faculty is active power or capacity; capacity is passive power.
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Power
The exercise of a faculty; the employment of strength; the exercise of any kind of control; influence; dominion; sway; command; government.
Power is no blessing in itself but when it is employed to protect the innocent.
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Power
The agent exercising an ability to act; an individual invested with authority; an institution, or government, which exercises control; as, the great powers of Europe; hence, often, a superhuman agent; a spirit; a divinity.
And the powers of the heavens shall be shaken.
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Power
A military or naval force; an army or navy; a great host.
Never such a power . . . Was levied in the body of a land.
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Power
The rate at which mechanical energy is exerted or mechanical work performed, as by an engine or other machine, or an animal, working continuously; as, an engine of twenty horse power.
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Power
A mechanical agent; that from which useful mechanical energy is derived; as, water power; steam power; hand power, etc.
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Power
The product arising from the multiplication of a number into itself; as, a square is the second power, and a cube is third power, of a number.
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Power
A machine acted upon by an animal, and serving as a motor to drive other machinery; as, a dog power.
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Power
Mental or moral ability to act; one of the faculties which are possessed by the mind or soul; as, the power of thinking, reasoning, judging, willing, fearing, hoping, etc.
The guiltiness of my mind, the sudden surprise of my powers, drove the grossness . . . into a received belief.
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Power
The degree to which a lens, mirror, or any optical instrument, magnifies; in the telescope, and usually in the microscope, the number of times it multiplies, or augments, the apparent diameter of an object; sometimes, in microscopes, the number of times it multiplies the apparent surface.
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Power
An authority enabling a person to dispose of an interest vested either in himself or in another person; ownership by appointment.
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Power
Hence, vested authority to act in a given case; as, the business was referred to a committee with power.
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Power
Possession of controlling influence;
The deterrent power of nuclear weapons
The power of his love saved her
His powerfulness was concealed by a gentle facade
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Power
(physics) the rate of doing work; measured in watts (= joules/second)
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Power
Possession of the qualities (especially mental qualities) required to do something or get something done;
Danger heightened his powers of discrimination
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Power
(of a government or government official) holding an office means being in power;
Being in office already gives a candidate a great advantage
During his first year in office
During his first year in power
The power of the president
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Power
One possessing or exercising power or influence or authority;
The mysterious presence of an evil power
May the force be with you
The forces of evil
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Power
A mathematical notation indicating the number of times a quantity is multiplied by itself
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Power
Supply the force or power for the functioning of;
The gasoline powers the engines
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Power
Power refers to the ability or capacity to do something.
She has the power to influence the decision.
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Power
Power often implies control or influence over others.
The company's power in the industry is growing.
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Power
Power can denote political or social authority.
The government exercises power over the country.
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Power
Power suggests a capability beyond the ordinary.
Renewable energy is a sustainable source of power.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
Can might and power be used interchangeably?
Not always, as they have different connotations and contexts.
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Does power always mean authority?
Often, but it can also refer to ability or energy.
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Is power more social than might?
Yes, power often involves social or political aspects.
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How do might and power relate in politics?
Might implies military strength, power implies political authority.
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Is might only physical?
Primarily, though it can imply potential in general.
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Can organizations have might?
Yes, in terms of collective strength or influence.
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Is power always visible?
Not necessarily; it can be subtle or behind the scenes.
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Can a person have might without power?
Yes, one can have physical strength without authority or influence.
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Do might and power overlap in meaning?
They can, especially in contexts of force or influence.
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Can someone be powerful but not mighty?
Yes, if they have influence without physical strength.
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Can technology have might?
Technically, in terms of capability or potential force.
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Can might be a moral concept?
In some contexts, regarding the potential to do good or harm.
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Is power associated with leadership?
Often, as it implies control or authority.
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Do historical contexts affect the use of might and power?
Yes, their meanings and connotations can change over time.
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Does power include mental or intellectual aspects?
Yes, power can involve intellectual influence.
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Are might and power culturally dependent concepts?
Their perceptions can vary across different cultures.
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Is power related to energy in physics?
Yes, power in physics refers to the rate of doing work or transferring energy.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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