- Have you ever struggled to find the right word to describe someone with a lot of influence?
- Do you know the difference between “generating power” and “seizing power”?
- Are you unsure if you should use “power” as a verb or a noun in a professional setting?
Mastering collocations—words that naturally live together—is the fastest way to sound like a native speaker. In English, the word power is incredibly versatile, appearing in politics, physics, and daily business. Understanding these “word partnerships” helps you move beyond basic translation and start thinking in English, significantly reducing your language anxiety in high-stakes conversations.
Essential Collocations using Power as a Noun
As a noun, “power” refers to the ability to act, political control, or physical energy. We group these by how they are used in modern sentences.
Adjectives + Power (Describing Influence)
- Absolute power: Complete control without any limits. “The dictator exercised absolute power over the nation.”
- Purchasing power: The financial ability to buy products. “Inflation often reduces the purchasing power of the middle class.”
- Soft power: Influence gained through culture and diplomacy rather than force. “The country uses its film industry as a form of soft power.”
- Unlimited power: Authority that has no boundaries. “No single branch of government should have unlimited power.”
Verbs + Power (Taking or Using Control)
- Come to power: To take a position of control (usually political). “The new party came to power after the spring elections.”
- Exercise power: To use the influence or authority you have. “Managers must exercise power fairly to maintain employee trust.”
- Seize power: To take control suddenly or by force. “The military attempted to seize power during the night.”
- Generate power: To produce electricity. “Wind turbines are used to generate power for the local grid.”
Noun + Noun (Functional Units)
- Power struggle: A situation where two groups compete for control. “The board meeting turned into a bitter power struggle.”
- Power outage: A period when the electricity supply is not working. “The storm caused a massive power outage across the city.”
- Power trip: (Slang) When someone acts bossy just to feel important. “The new supervisor is on a total power trip.”
The Master Summary Table
| Collocation | Part of Speech | Quick Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Abuse of power | Noun + Noun | Using authority in a wrong or illegal way. |
| Power through | Phrasal Verb | To continue working despite being tired. |
| Stay in power | Verb + Prep + Noun | To maintain a position of authority. |
| Nuclear power | Adjective + Noun | Energy produced by atomic reactions. |
| Power down | Phrasal Verb | To turn off a machine or computer. |
Common Collocations with Power as a Verb
In modern English, specifically in tech and productivity contexts, “power” is frequently used as a verb meaning to provide energy or to move with great force.
Technology and Mechanics
- Power a device: To provide the energy needed for a machine to work. “This small battery can power a laptop for ten hours.”
- Powered by: Used to describe the source of energy. “The new city buses are powered by electricity.”
Productivity and Movement
- Power through: To complete a difficult task by using a lot of effort. “I have a headache, but I need to power through this report.”
- Power up: To turn on a computer or system. “It takes a few minutes for the server to power up.”
Common Mistakes: Natural vs Unnatural
| Do Not Say | Say This |
|---|---|
| Make power (electricity) | Generate power |
| Big power (authority) | Great power or immense power |
| The light went out (technical) | There was a power outage |
| Win power (politics) | Gain power or Come to power |
Pro-Tip from the Applied Linguist: Learners often confuse “power” with “strength.” Remember: Strength is a physical or internal quality (strong muscles), while Power is often about control over others or the capacity of a machine.
“After the power outage last night, our team had to power through the morning to finish the project. The manager, who is known for his soft power, didn’t need to exercise power aggressively to motivate us. He knows that abusing power only leads to a toxic power struggle within the office.”
Frequently Asked Questions about Power Collocations
Is it “in power” or “at power”?
The correct preposition is “in.” We say a political party is “in power” when they are currently governing. Example: “The Labor party has been in power for four years.”
What does “purchasing power” mean in simple terms?
It refers to how much your money can actually buy. If prices go up but your salary stays the same, your purchasing power has decreased.
Can “power” be used as an adjective?
Yes, in certain collocations like “power cord,” “power lunch,” or “power tools.” In these cases, the noun “power” acts as a modifier for the second noun.
What is the difference between “power down” and “turn off”?
“Power down” is more technical and often implies a controlled sequence of closing programs, while “turn off” is a general term for any device.
What is a “power move”?
A “power move” is a modern idiomatic expression describing an action someone takes to show they have more authority or influence than others, often in a social or business setting.
I really like the 'Soft Power' example. It helps me explain my country's tourism industry better in my English presentations!
Wonderful, Chloe! Using terms like 'soft power' in a presentation shows a high level of English proficiency. It shows you understand the nuances of global influence. Good luck with your presentation!
Is 'willpower' considered a collocation of 'power' or is it just one single word?
I was confused about 'seizing power' vs. 'usurping power.' Is 'usurping' just a more fancy word for the same thing?
Great eye for detail, Lucia! 'Usurping' specifically implies taking power *illegally* or without a right to it (like a younger brother taking the throne from an older one). 'Seizing' is more general—it just means taking it forcefully.
Does 'purchasing power' only refer to money, or can it be used for 'bartering' or 'trading' items too?
This is great! Can you do an article on collocations with the word 'Authority' next? I think it would complement this one well.
That is a fantastic suggestion, Ingrid! 'Authority' and 'Power' are closely related but used differently. We will add that to our content calendar for next month. Stay tuned!
Could you explain the difference between 'power' and 'strength' in these contexts? I often mix them up in my head.
I love the term 'power struggle.' I see this in every corporate drama series! Is it used only for big companies or can it be for small groups too?
Exactly, Sofia! A 'power struggle' can happen anywhere there is a hierarchy—within a family, a small club, or a massive corporation. It’s a very versatile and common collocation for any situation where two people are fighting for control.
The article mentions 'generating power' for physics. Is it also correct to say 'producing power'?
What about 'brain power'? I hear that in cartoons and advertisements. Is it okay to use in a business meeting?
Great question, Santiago! 'Brain power' is a bit informal for a serious business meeting. In a professional setting, you might prefer terms like 'intellectual capital' or simply 'expertise.' However, in a creative brainstorming session, 'brain power' is perfectly fine!
Regarding 'soft power,' could we say 'hard power' for military force? Or is that not a real expression?