firepower: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal/Military/Business
Quick answer
What does “firepower” mean?
The amount of fire (weapons or artillery) that a military unit can deliver.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The amount of fire (weapons or artillery) that a military unit can deliver.
The collective resources, capabilities, or capacity available for use in a competitive situation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or primary meaning differences. Usage is equally common in military and metaphorical contexts in both varieties.
Connotations
Carries the same strong, militaristic, competitive connotations in both BrE and AmE.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in AmE due to larger military discourse volume, but the word is well-established and common in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “firepower” in a Sentence
have + firepowerpossess + firepowerdeploy + firepowerbring + firepower + to bearlack + firepowerVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to a company's financial resources, marketing budget, or expert staff used to gain competitive advantage.
Academic
Used in strategic studies, political science, and military history to analyse combat effectiveness.
Everyday
Used metaphorically in sports commentary (e.g., a football team's attacking firepower) or in discussions about competitive advantages.
Technical
In military science, the quantitative measure of the destructive capacity of weapons systems per unit time.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “firepower”
- Using it to refer to literal flames or heat (e.g., 'The firepower of the sun' is incorrect).
- Spelling as two words ('fire power') is less common in modern usage.
- Overusing the metaphorical extension in inappropriate informal contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is very commonly used metaphorically in business, sports, and gaming to refer to competitive resources or strength.
It is generally an uncountable (mass) noun. You do not say 'three firepowers'. You would say 'a great deal of firepower' or 'superior firepower'.
'Firepower' refers to weaponry or resource capacity, while 'manpower' refers to the number of people available for work. Both are compound nouns using 'power', but with different first elements denoting the source of that power.
Not many fixed idioms, but common phrases include 'bring firepower to bear' (to apply resources effectively) and 'pack firepower' (to have significant capability).
The amount of fire (weapons or artillery) that a military unit can deliver.
Firepower is usually formal/military/business in register.
Firepower: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪə.paʊə(r)/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfaɪr.paʊər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “to bring one's firepower to bear”
- “a mismatch in firepower”
- “to pack serious firepower”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a FIRE-breathing dragon's POWER. The dragon's 'firepower' is its main weapon. Similarly, a team's 'firepower' is its main attacking strength.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS WAR; RESOURCES ARE WEAPONS.
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, 'firepower' most likely refers to: