prowess
Skill or expertise in a particular activity or field; bravery in battle.
Prowess carries a dramatic, almost heroic connotation. It is used to describe extraordinary, highly visible skill—often in sports, physical combat, or highly competitive intellectual arenas.
Word relationships
- mastery: Mastery is a quiet, comprehensive control of a craft, whereas prowess is a highly visible, active, and impressive demonstration of extraordinary skill under pressure.
- valor: Valor refers strictly to great courage in the face of danger, especially in battle, while prowess can refer to either physical bravery or extraordinary technical/intellectual skill.
- clumsiness: Clumsiness is a complete lack of physical coordination or skill.
- cowardice: Cowardice is a lack of bravery, which is the direct opposite of the historical military sense of prowess.
Commonly confused with
- promise: Promise refers to potential or an assurance of future performance, whereas prowess is a demonstrated, active, and extraordinary current skill.
Collocations
- athletic prowess
- technical prowess
- intellectual prowess
- military prowess
Idioms & expressions
- feats of strength
- force to be reckoned with
Example sentences
- "His athletic prowess was on full display as he scored three goals in the final minutes of the match." A sports article describing an athlete's performance.
- "The knights were celebrated not only for their loyalty but for their prowess in battle." A classic historical account of medieval knights.
Memory hook
Prowess sounds like 'PRO-WEST'. Imagine a cowboy in the 'Wild West' who is a 'PRO' with a lasso and a gun—showing extraordinary prowess. Prowess = Pro of the Wild West.
When not to use
Do not use 'prowess' for mundane, routine, or low-stakes skills. You wouldn't talk about someone's 'prowess' at washing dishes, but you would talk about their 'prowess' on the basketball court or in corporate mergers.
Fun facts
- The word 'proud' actually shares a linguistic ancestor with 'prowess,' tracing back to the Late Latin prode, meaning 'beneficial' or 'valiant.'
Related words
Also appears in
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