power forward: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal (in sports journalism), Informal (in general metaphorical use).
Quick answer
What does “power forward” mean?
A specific playing position in basketball.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specific playing position in basketball.
A basketball player positioned near the basket, responsible for scoring inside, rebounding, and physical defence. The role typically combines strength with some mobility. By metaphorical extension, it can refer to a key, forceful contributor in any team or project.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is identical in form. However, it is far more frequent in American English due to basketball's prominence in US culture. In British English, it is understood but used almost exclusively in direct sports reporting or by fans.
Connotations
In the US, it carries strong associations with NBA culture and specific legendary players (e.g., Karl Malone, Tim Duncan). In the UK, the connotations are more purely technical, relating to the sport's rules.
Frequency
Very High in US sports media; Low to Medium in UK sports media; Rare in general UK discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “power forward” in a Sentence
[Team] signed a new power forward.[Player] is transitioning to power forward.He plays power forward for [Team].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “power forward” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- This role cannot be verbed.
American English
- This role cannot be verbed.
adverb
British English
- [Not used as an adverb.]
American English
- [Not used as an adverb.]
adjective
British English
- He has a classic power-forward game.
- She brings a power-forward mentality to the boardroom.
American English
- His power-forward skills are unmatched.
- We need a power-forward approach to this negotiation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Metaphorical: 'She's the power forward of our sales team, dominating the key accounts.'
Academic
Rare, except in sports science or sociology papers analysing team roles.
Everyday
Primarily used by sports fans discussing basketball.
Technical
Precise positional designation in basketball coaching, analytics, and broadcasting.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “power forward”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “power forward”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “power forward”
- Using 'power forward' to describe a football (soccer) player.
- Misspelling as 'powerforward' (should be two words or hyphenated: power-forward).
- Using it as a verb (e.g., 'to power forward').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily, yes. Its core meaning is a basketball position. It can be used metaphorically in other contexts (business, politics) to describe a forceful, key team member.
Traditionally, the power forward (PF) plays slightly further from the basket than the centre (C), is often more mobile, and may take more mid-range shots. The centre is typically the tallest player, focused on defence at the rim and very close-range scoring. Modern basketball has blurred these distinctions.
Yes, both 'power forward' (open compound) and 'power-forward' (hyphenated, especially when used attributively as in 'power-forward role') are acceptable. Consistency within a text is key.
In General American: /ˈpaʊɚ ˈfɔrwərd/. The 'r' in both 'power' and 'forward' is pronounced (rhotic). The first syllable of 'forward' sounds like 'for'.
A specific playing position in basketball.
Power forward is usually formal (in sports journalism), informal (in general metaphorical use). in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[Not commonly used idiomatically. The term itself is technical.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'POWER' for strength and rebounding, 'FORWARD' for their position on the court (not at the back). A powerful player moving forward to score.
Conceptual Metaphor
TEAM IS A SPORTS TEAM / CONTRIBUTOR IS AN ATHLETE. A 'power forward' in a project is the strong, essential member who handles the core, difficult tasks.
Practice
Quiz
In a business metaphor, a 'power forward' would most likely: