Difference Between Power and Strength

Key Difference – Power vs Strength
 

Power and Strength can be used to measure the force or an influence of someone or something to produce a reaction of effect over another. Both these nouns are very important in the field of physical training and in other fields as well. Even though most frequently, strength and power are used as synonyms, they have unique differences which make them distinguished from each other. The key difference between strength and power is, power encompasses many dimensions including strength whereas strength is mostly highlighted as a physical ability.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Power
3. What is Strength
4. Similarities Between Power and Strength
5. Side by Side Comparison – Power vs Strength in Tabular Form
6. Summary

What is Power?

Unlike Strength, power indicates a particular ability which can have a certain control over the external forces. Power can be referred to physical, mental and other abstract means of using force and authoritative abilities.

Merriam Webster provides a number of explanations to power such as, ‘ability to act or produce an effect, ability to get extra-base hits, capacity for being acted upon or undergoing an effect” which basically emphasizes on the legal, official or authoritative capacity to exert the influence on something.

Hence, power, in brief, means the possession of control, authority, or influence over others. Power can be either of the physical strength or capacity, mental or moral efficacy, political control or influence or a source or means of supplying energy such as electricity.

Moreover, in the context of diplomacy, power plays a significant role. Power is divided into hard power (use of coercion), soft power (use of culture and other abstract elements to influence others) and smart power (use of both hard and soft power). Thus power encompasses all the dimensions of capabilities and abilities including strength too.

What is Strength?

Strength can be basically described as the physical ability to exert force or pressure on something. Thus, it mainly concerns on the physical capability of a person or of a thing. Merriam Webster defines strength as ‘the quality or state of being strong : the capacity for exertion or endurance.’ Moreover, strength can also be used to indicate ‘power of resisting attack’ as described by Merriam Webster.

Similarly, Collins dictionary explains the meaning of strength according to its usage, such that the ‘strength as the physical energy one has which gives the ability to perform various actions such as lifting or moving things’.

Nevertheless, strength could also be used to express the capability of something or someone as well.

E.g., China is presently concerned with improving its military strength on par with that of the United State’s. Here ‘strength’ signifies the military capability of China.

What are the Similarities Between Power and Strength?

• Both can be used to indicate the capacity or ability of someone or something
• Both can be improved and used according to one’s will

What is the Difference Between Power and Strength?

Summary –Power vs Strength

Even though power and strength are often seen as sharing similar meanings, their slight differences make them uniquely distinguishable from one another. Strength is often referred to the physical, muscular force of someone or something while power can be referred to the physical force along with other types of influential forces of something or someone over another. This can be highlighted as the difference between power and strength.

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Image Courtesy:

1.’Fitness Model Leg Exercise Strength Weight Training by ThoroughlyReviewed (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr
2.’Nuclear Power Plant Cattenom’ By Stefan Kühn-Own work, (CCBY-SA3.0) via Commons Wikimedia