stopping power: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Technical / Metaphorical
Quick answer
What does “stopping power” mean?
The ability to halt or incapacitate a target.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The ability to halt or incapacitate a target; originally from ballistics, referring to a projectile's ability to stop an assailant or animal.
The effectiveness of an action, measure, or product in halting, preventing, or significantly slowing down an opposing force, process, or negative trend.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or syntactic differences; it is a compound noun used identically. More likely to be encountered in specialist publications in both regions.
Connotations
In both varieties, primary connotation is ballistic/lethal force. Metaphorical use carries connotations of decisive, forceful intervention.
Frequency
Low frequency in general discourse. Slightly higher frequency in American English due to more prevalent public discourse on firearms and ammunition.
Grammar
How to Use “stopping power” in a Sentence
The [caliber/bullet/ad] has [considerable] stopping power.Stopping power is [essential/paramount/controversial] in [firearms/marketing].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stopping power” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The round is designed to stop an assailant.
- The new regulations aim to stop the spread.
American English
- That caliber can stop a threat effectively.
- We need a strategy to stop their momentum.
adverb
British English
- The bullet performed stoppingly well in tests. (Rare/Formed)
- The ad worked stoppingly quickly. (Rare/Formed)
American English
- The round performed stoppingly effectively. (Rare/Formed)
- The measure acted stoppingly fast. (Rare/Formed)
adjective
British English
- A stopping-power test was conducted.
- He discussed stopping-power criteria.
American English
- The stopping-power analysis was conclusive.
- They debated stopping-power requirements.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Refers to a product's or campaign's ability to halt a competitor's market advance or capture consumer attention instantly.
Academic
Used in physics (kinetic energy transfer), forensic science, and materials engineering. Rare in humanities.
Everyday
Almost never used in casual conversation unless discussing firearms, action films, or car brakes metaphorically.
Technical
Primary context: ballistics and terminal ballistics. Precise measurement of a projectile's ability to transfer energy and incapacitate a target.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “stopping power”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “stopping power”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stopping power”
- Using it to mean 'brake horsepower' in cars (incorrect, though metaphorically possible). Using it for abstract concepts of 'persuasion' without the connotation of halting an opposing force.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While its primary and most precise meaning is ballistic, it is frequently used metaphorically in business, advertising, and engineering to describe something's ability to halt a process or grab attention decisively.
It is a commonly used term in terminal ballistics, but it is considered somewhat informal and imprecise by scientists, who prefer terms like 'incapacitation potential' or specific measurements of kinetic energy transfer.
Yes, but cautiously. It is acceptable in technical fields where it is standard jargon (e.g., firearms magazines, certain engineering contexts). In formal academic writing outside these fields, a more precise term is usually better.
Learners often assume it simply means 'power to stop' in any context. However, it carries a strong inherent connotation of suddenness, decisiveness, and often force, derived from its violent origins. It's not used for gradual halting processes.
The ability to halt or incapacitate a target.
Stopping power: in British English it is pronounced /ˈstɒp.ɪŋ ˌpaʊə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈstɑː.pɪŋ ˌpaʊ.ɚ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “One-shot stopping power (idiomatic within firearms context)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a powerful STOP sign that physically halts a moving vehicle; 'stopping power' is the force that creates that instant halt.
Conceptual Metaphor
FORCE IS A STOPPING AGENT; EFFECTIVENESS IS PHYSICAL STOPPING POWER.
Practice
Quiz
In which of these contexts is 'stopping power' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?