Brainpower
n.capable, thoughtfuleveryday
What it means
The combined intelligence and mental effort available for understanding or solving something.
Reach for it when praising cognitive ability applied to a demanding problem
The rescue plan required local knowledge as well as considerable brainpower.
Choose between these
7- playful
cerebral firepower
exceptional analytical strength invites a vivid phrase
not when the praise should not sound competitive or militarized
- playful
smarts
practical intelligence suits informal praise
not when the context calls for respectful formal language
- warm
collective wisdom
experience and judgment from many people matter
not when technical reasoning rather than mature judgment did the work
- warm
inventive problem-solving produces the result
not when raw analytical capacity rather than creativity is praised
- professional
general capacity to learn and reason is meant
not when applied mental effort from a group is central
- professional
mental capacity
ability should be described neutrally
not when lively recognition of effort is wanted
- formal
intellect
developed reasoning ability deserves emphasis
not when an informal energetic tone is preferred
Said against
3- foolishness
- confusion
- thoughtlessness
It naturally appears in
3- raw brainpower
Raw brainpower alone could not replace careful listening.
- collective brainpower
The workshop brought collective brainpower to a stubborn drainage problem.
- need brainpower
We need brainpower from several disciplines before choosing a design.
Where this comes from
- Wiktionary, Noun sense 1: intellectual ability opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.