Home › Glossary › Letter P

potent

Adjective
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Potent denotes having great power, influence, or strength, often used to describe rulers, forces, or emotions.

Detailed Definition
The term 'potent' describes something that has a strong effect or is powerful. In the context of the poem, it refers to the formidable nature of death as the speaker's 'potent enemy.' This word underscores the intensity of the struggle against mortality.
Example
Example in poetry:
"'Mark how his breast doth rise and swell Against his potent enemy!'" powerful; enhanced: "'Mark how his breast... potent enemy!'"; Milton Satan; contemporary: "Potent forces of nature"; educational: "Potent mighty in dramatic monologues."
Additional Notes
The word 'potent' characterizes death as a powerful adversary, emphasizing the speaker's battle against it.; Found in the poem, The Sad Day by Thomas Flatman
Also Known As
powerful mighty efficacious commanding
Skip to main content