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Prowess is a word with a lot to be proud of. Not only has it performed gallantly for the English language since the 13th century, but it has stayed relatively stalwart in hewing to its original meaning, which is quite a flex. When prowess first joined the ranks of the lexicon, it could be used to refer to bravery, skill, and valor—especially those virtues as encountered in military contexts—or to individual acts of derring-do. The latter was usually used in the plural, as when people waxed rhapsodic about the “prowesses” of knights or some such. Today’s “extraordinary ability” meaning, which developed in the 17th century, tends to stick to the singular form, as when it’s used to describe those with intellectual prowess, or to someone known for their prowess as a fundraiser.
Examples of prowess in a Sentence
Vicki M. Young, Footwear News, 29 Dec. 2025
Two areas of the sky were targeted for first light to demonstrate the telescope's prowess.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 28 Dec. 2025
Instead of using binary bits that are either a 0 or a 1, quantum computers use quantum bits or qubits that can store values of 0 and 1 and everything in between, thereby exponentially increasing computational prowess.
—Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 26 Dec. 2025
Second, as reliant as the group is on Green for his defensive prowess, his offensive struggles leave a wider hole than ever.
—Nick Friedell, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prowess
Cite this Entry
“Prowess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prowess. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
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prowess
noun
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