Cool MateBrawn vs Power
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Brawn
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Power
Top 1,000 (very common)A2noun
Most common: Power
| Brawn | Power | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //brɔːn//🇺🇸 //brɔn// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈpaʊə(r)/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈpaʊər/"]/ |
| Meaning | Physical strength or power. | The ability to do something or to control people or things. |
| Example | He relied on his brawn to win the wrestling match. | The power of the wind can generate electricity. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | display brawn, brawn over brains, rely on brawn, physical brawn, brawn and muscle | absolute, ultimate, considerable, come to, rise to, assume, be concentrated in (the hands of somebody/something), flow from somebody/something, lie with somebody/something, struggle, relations, structure, in power, in somebody’s power, power of, abuse of power, the balance of power, a bid for power, absolute, ultimate, considerable, come to, rise to, assume, be concentrated in (the hands of somebody/something), flow from somebody/something, lie with somebody/something, struggle, relations, structure, in power, in somebody’s power, power of, abuse of power, the balance of power, a bid for power, full, reduced, electric, generate, produce, provide (somebody/something with), drive something, run something, go off, cable, grid, line, power for, a source of power, full, reduced, electric, generate, produce, provide (somebody/something with), drive something, run something, go off, cable, grid, line, power for, a source of power, awesome, great, real, awesome, great, real, air, combat, military, have, possess, use, beyond somebody/something’s power, in somebody’s power, within somebody’s power, at the height of your powers, at the peak of your powers, at the zenith of your powers, air, combat, military, have, possess, use, beyond somebody/something’s power, in somebody’s power, within somebody’s power, at the height of your powers, at the peak of your powers, at the zenith of your powers, air, combat, military, have, possess, use, beyond somebody/something’s power, in somebody’s power, within somebody’s power, at the height of your powers, at the peak of your powers, at the zenith of your powers, absolute, ultimate, considerable, come to, rise to, assume, be concentrated in (the hands of somebody/something), flow from somebody/something, lie with somebody/something, struggle, relations, structure, in power, in somebody’s power, power of, abuse of power, the balance of power, a bid for power, great, major, world, air, combat, military, have, possess, use, beyond somebody/something’s power, in somebody’s power, within somebody’s power, at the height of your powers, at the peak of your powers, at the zenith of your powers, air, combat, military, have, possess, use, beyond somebody/something’s power, in somebody’s power, within somebody’s power, at the height of your powers, at the peak of your powers, at the zenith of your powers, absolute, ultimate, considerable, come to, rise to, assume, be concentrated in (the hands of somebody/something), flow from somebody/something, lie with somebody/something, struggle, relations, structure, in power, in somebody’s power, power of, abuse of power, the balance of power, a bid for power |
| Antonyms | brains, intellect, wisdom | weakness, ineffectiveness |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'brawniness' (noun form)., Incorrectly used in place of 'brains' when implying intelligence., 'Brawn' as an adjective instead of a noun. | 'Power' as a verb — learners often mistakenly use 'power' when they mean to say 'empower'., Confusing 'power' with 'might', as they have different nuances., Misusing 'power' in phrases, e.g., 'the power of' requires a specified noun. |
| Usage notes | Often used in contrast to intellect. Informal contexts when emphasizing physical ability, but can also be used in formal writing. | Used in both formal and informal contexts. In discussions about politics or leadership, 'power' often has a weighty connotation, while in casual settings it might refer to electricity or strength. Avoid using it in overly casual contexts when discussing serious topics. |
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Frequently asked questions: Brawn vs Power
What's the difference between Brawn and Power?
Brawn: Physical strength or power. Power: The ability to do something or to control people or things.
Which is more common: Brawn and Power?
Power is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Brawn: He relied on his brawn to win the wrestling match. Power: The power of the wind can generate electricity.
Can I use Brawn and Power interchangeably?
Not always. Brawn and Power are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.