prowess
Exceptional skill displayed
Prowess is exceptional skill or ability, especially in battle or competition: martial prowess, athletic prowess, his prowess on the basketball court.
The word carries connotations of demonstrated excellence rather than mere potential—prowess is proven through action.
It often implies a combination of skill and courage, particularly in older or more literary usage.
Exceptional technical skill
- expertiseSkill from extensive practice
- proficiencySkilled performance level
- competenceAdequate ability to function
- craftsmanshipSkill in making objects
finesse · skill · adeptness · technique · artistry · command · fluency · capability
Boldness before danger
- courageFortitude facing danger
- heroismExceptional courage under duress
- gallantryCourage, especially in combat
- fearlessnessComplete lack of dread
boldness · daring · intrepidity · fortitude · mettle · grit · audacity · nerve
Power to exert force
- agilityQuickness and ease
- enduranceSustained effort capacity
- speedRate of motion
- coordinationOrganized cooperative movement
stamina · power · physicality · fitness · dexterity · flexibility · conditioning · vitality
Skill with bladed weapons
- warriorOne skilled in combat
- tacticsMethods to achieve goals
- archeryShooting with bows
- fencingCombat with blunted blades
dueling · marksmanship · fighting · battlefield · soldiering · weaponry · martial · conquest
Person of rare brilliance
- acumenSharpness of mind
- brillianceExceptional intelligence or luster
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
- eruditionExtensive scholarly knowledge
wisdom · ingenuity · astuteness · reasoning · comprehension · scholarship · cognition · brainpower
virtuosity
Exceptional technical skill
- expertiseSkill from extensive practice
- proficiencySkilled performance level
- competenceAdequate ability to function
craftsmanship · finesse · skill · adeptness · technique · artistry · command · fluency · capability · aptitude
bravery
Boldness before danger
- courageFortitude facing danger
- heroismExceptional courage under duress
- gallantryCourage, especially in combat
fearlessness · boldness · daring · intrepidity · fortitude · mettle · grit · audacity · nerve · dauntlessness
strength
Power to exert force
coordination · stamina · power · physicality · fitness · dexterity · flexibility · conditioning · vitality · explosiveness
swordsmanship
Skill with bladed weapons
fencing · dueling · marksmanship · fighting · battlefield · soldiering · weaponry · martial · conquest · victory
genius
Person of rare brilliance
- acumenSharpness of mind
- brillianceExceptional intelligence or luster
- insightDeep perceptive understanding
erudition · wisdom · ingenuity · astuteness · reasoning · comprehension · scholarship · cognition · brainpower · intellect
- heroeshero, heroes, heroine, heroines, superhero
- skillsskills, skill, ability, abilities, competencies
- chivalryknighthood, knights, chivalry, medieval knights, honor
- medievalknights, castles, cathedral, kings, queens
- excellenceexcellence, greatness, superior, perfection, premium
- expertiseexpertise, skill, mastery, proficiency, competence
prowessincompetence
Lack of required skill
ineptitude · inability · ineptness · clumsiness · awkwardness
prowessweakness
Deficiency in force
feebleness · impotence · powerlessness · frailty · infirmity
prowesscowardice
Absence of bravery
cowardliness · pusillanimity · cravenness · poltroonery · dastardliness
- physical prowessExceptional bodily ability
- athletic prowessExcellence in physical competition
- martial prowessExceptional fighting ability