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wattage

wattage

3 5.3
A strong energy and presence people feel from a person or event
  • noun
  • /ˈwɑːtɪdʒ/
  • Informal
translation icon : carisma
  • Her performance had such high wattage that the audience couldn't take their eyes off her.
  • high wattage
  • wattage smile
  • low wattage

And I mean, you know, high wattage, look at that.

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Examples

  • And all of a sudden we hear behind us this high-wattage voice, like, "Hello."

    Blog text (8)
  • Ri came out of the gate so strong that any dimming of her wattage is going to be noticed by this gang.

    Blog text (9)
  • Ask for the things that are going to up level your wattage in life.

  • More than double the wattage, more than double the fun.

  • The whole bunch of you gotta have a combined wattage of five, maybe less.

  • I felt its sheer wattage even though it was not directed at me.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • "Hers was the high-wattage smile you see on folks who believe they'll live to be a hundred.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • According to The New York Times, his role in Giuliani's group "brought some high-wattage celebrity to a campaign that was in distress."

    Blog text (34)
  • Mirrored furniture gives a space irresistible sass, sophistication, and high-wattage shine.

    Blog text (5)
  • The room was well lit with a large ceiling lamp and two rows of frosted bulbs across the vanity—white on white—and all the capable wattage cheered her.

    Fiction book (1997)

Synonyms

energy
vswattage
311 1.6

Lively excitement that makes people or work feel active

focuses on outward impact or charisma rather than inner drive
megawatt
vswattage
  • Informal
1 4.9

A very strong, impressive energy in a person or performance

is a general perceived intensity or charisma, not necessarily extremely strong

Antonyms

133 1.4

Lack of physical or mental strength that makes someone less able to act

1 3.4

A feeling of low emotion and little interest

How Impactful

stardom
45 4.4
charisma
58 5.1
wattage
  • Informal
3 5.3
energy
553 1.0
presence
89 5.9

Surface Forms

wattage singular
wattages plural

Morphology

wattage = watt (semi-transparent) = watt + age

The figurative sense extends the unit-based meaning of 'wattage' to a person's projected energy or impact, which is understandable but metaphorical.

Etymology

Wattage also has an informal meaning and is built from Watt and -age, the ending that can mean 'amount' like in postage. People imagine a light bulb—more 'watts' means more power—so saying someone has high wattage means they give off strong energy, charm, or impact.