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What Are Power Words?
Power words are words that often evoke an emotional response, positive or negative, in the target audience with the intention to create a sense of urgency, or to persuade the reader or listener to take a specific action. They can be categorized into different groups based on their intended effect.
Let’s take a look at some different power word categories.
7 Different Types of Power Words
- Fear Power Words
- Positive Power Words
- Lust Power Words
- Negative Power Words
- Benefit Power Words
- Safety Power Words
- Curiosity Power Words
Examples of how power words can be used in copywriting:
- “Free” appeals to people’s desire for something without cost.
- “New” suggests novelty and innovation which can pique curiosity.
- “Exclusive” creates a sense of privilege and scarcity.
- “Guaranteed” instills trust and confidence in the product or service.
- “Limited-time offer” creates a sense of urgency and encourages immediate action.
- “You” personalizes the message and makes the reader feel involved.
- “Save” appeals to the desire to conserve money or resources.
- “Proven” suggests reliability and credibility.
- “Results” indicates that the product or service delivers specific outcomes.
- “Secret” intrigues the reader and can make them want to know more.
1. Fear Power Words
To infuse fear into your writing, here’s a list of words to start with:
| Agony | Annihilate |
| Apocalypse | Armageddon |
| Assault | Backlash |
| Beating | Beware |
| Blinded | Blood |
| Bloodbath | Bloodcurdling |
| Bloody | Blunder |
| Bomb | Buffoon |
| Bufoon | Bumbling |
| Cadaver | Cataclysmic |
| Catastrophe | Caution |
| Collapse | Corpse |
| Crazy | Cringeworthy |
| Cripple | Crisis |
| Danger | Dangerous |
| Dark | Deadly |
| Death | Deceiving |
| Destroy | Devastating |
| Disastrous | Doom |
| Drowning | Dumb |
| Embarrass | Epidemic |
| Fail | Failure |
| Feeble | Fired |
| Fool | Fooled |
| Frantic | Frightening |
| Fugacious | Gambling |
| Gullible | Hack |
| Hazardous | Hoax |
| Holocaust | Horrific |
| Hurricane | Injure |
| Insidious | Invasion |
| Jail | Jeopardy |
| Last chance | Lawsuit |
| Looming | Loss |
| Lunatic | Lurking |
| Massacre | Meltdown |
| Menacing | Mired |
| Mistake | Murder |
| Nerd | Nightmare |
| Pain | Painful |
| Pale | Panic |
| Peril | Piranha |
| Pitfall | Plague |
| Played | Plummet |
| Plunge | Poison |
| Poor | Prison |
| Problem | Pummel |
| Pus | Reckoning |
| Reckoning | Refugee |
| Regret | Revenge |
| Risky | Scary |
| Scream | Searing |
| Shame | Shatter |
| Shellacking | Shocked |
| Silly | Slaughter |
| Slave | Strangle |
| Stupid | Suffering |
| Suicide | Tailspin |
| Tank | Targeted |
| Teetering | Terror |
| Terrorist | Torture |
| Toxic | Tragedy |
| Trap | Trauma |
| Vaporize | Victim |
| Volatile | Vulnerable |
| Warning | Worry |
| Wounded | Wreaking havoc |
2. Positive Power Words
For a dose of positivity in your writing, here’s a selection of uplifting words:
| Achieve | Adorable |
| Affable | Amazing |
| Ascend | Astonishing |
| Astounding | Audacious |
| Awe-inspiring | Awesome |
| Backbone | Badass |
| Beat | Beauteous |
| Belief | Blissful |
| Bravery | Breathtaking |
| Brighten | Brilliant |
| Celebrate | Cheer |
| Cheery | Classy |
| Colossal | Command |
| Conquer | Courage |
| Daring | Defeat |
| Defiance | Delight |
| Devoted | Dignity |
| Discover | Dominate |
| Effortless | Empower |
| Epic | Excellent |
| Excited | Exquisite |
| Extraordinary | Eye-opening |
| Fabulous | Faith |
| Fantastic | Fearless |
| Ferocious | Fierce |
| Flawless | Force |
| Fulfill | Glorious |
| Glory | Graceful |
| Grateful | Grit |
| Guts | Happy |
| Heart | Hero |
| Honor | Hope |
| Incredible | Innovate |
| Jaw-dropping | Join |
| Jovial | Jubilant |
| Kudos | Legend |
| Life-changing | Logophile |
| Lovable | Magic |
| Marvelous | Master |
| Mind-blowing | Miracle |
| Miraculous | Noble |
| Openhearted | Perfect |
| Persuade | Phenomenal |
| Pioneering | Pluck |
| Power-up | Praise |
| Prevail | Radiant |
| Remarkable | Revel |
| Revolutionize | Rule |
| Score | Seize |
| Sensational | Spectacular |
| Spine | Spirit |
| Splendid | Spunk |
| Staggering | Start |
| Strengthen | Striking |
| Strong | Stunning |
| Stunt | Stupendous |
| Supreme | Surprising |
| Terrific | Thrive |
| Thwart | Titan |
| Tough | Transform |
| Tremendous | Triumph |
| Unbeatable | Unbelievable |
| Unforgettable | Unique |
| Unleash | Unparalleled |
| Uplifting | Valiant |
| Valor | Vanquish |
| Vibrant | Victory |
| Virtuoso | Win |
| Wonderful | Wondrous |
3. Lust Power Words
To add desire to your writing, explore these captivating words:
| Allure | Alluring |
| Arouse | Bare |
| Begging | Beguiling |
| Brazen | Captivating |
| Charismatic | Charm |
| Cheeky | Climax |
| Compelling | Crave |
| Delight | Delirious |
| Depraved | Desire |
| Dirty | Divine |
| Ecstasy | Embrace |
| Enchant | Enchanting |
| Engaging | Enthralling |
| Entice | Entrance |
| Excite | Explicit |
| Exposed | Fascinate |
| Fascinating | Flirt |
| Forbidden | Frisky |
| Goosebumps | Hanker |
| Heavenly | Hottest |
| Hypnotic | Impure |
| Indecent | Intense |
| Intoxicating | Intriguing |
| Itching | Juicy |
| Kinky | Kiss |
| Lascivious | Lewd |
| Lick | Lonely |
| Longing | Love |
| Lovely | Lure |
| Luscious | Lush |
| Lust | Magnetic |
| Mischievous | Mouth-watering |
| Mouthwatering | Naked |
| Naughty | Nude |
| Obscene | Obsession |
| Orgasmic | Passionate |
| Pining | Pleasurable |
| Pleasure | Promiscuous |
| Provocative | Racy |
| Raunchy | Risque |
| Riveting | Rowdy |
| Salacious | Satisfy |
| Saucy | Scandalous |
| Seduce | Seductive |
| Sensual | Sex |
| Shameless | Sinful |
| Sleazy | Sleeping |
| Sneak peek | Spank |
| Spellbinding | Spicy |
| Steamy | Stimulating |
| Strip | Sweaty |
| Tantalizing | Taste |
| Tawdry | Tease |
| Tempting | Thrilling |
| Tickle | Tight |
| Tingle | Turn on |
| Unabashed | Uncensored |
| Untamed | Untouched |
| Urge | Voluptuous |
| Vulgar | Wanton |
| Wet | Whip |
| Wild | X-rated |
| Yearning | Yummy |
4. Negative Power Words
To emphasize negativity, consider using these words to highlight less favorable aspects:
| Abhorrent | Abuse |
| Agitate | Annoy |
| Annoying | Arrogant |
| Ass kicking | B.S. |
| Backstabbing | Barbaric |
| Bash | Beat down |
| Big mouth | Blatant |
| Boil over | Broke |
| Brutal | Bullsh*t |
| Bully | Cheat |
| Clobber | Clown |
| Cocky | Corrupt |
| Coward | Crooked |
| Crush | Curse |
| Debase | Defile |
| Delinquent | Demolish |
| Desecrate | Diatribe |
| Diminish | Disgusting |
| Dishonest | Distorted |
| Evil | Exploit |
| Fear | Force-fed |
| Foul | Freaking out |
| Full of sh*t | Greedy |
| Gross | Harass |
| Hate | High and mighty |
| Horrid | Hostile |
| Infuriating | Jackass |
| Kick | Kill |
| Knock | Knock out |
| Know it all | Lies |
| Livid | Loathsome |
| Lollygag | Loser |
| Lying | Maul |
| Miff | Misleading |
| Money-grubbing | Morally bankrupt |
| Nasty | Nazi |
| No good | Obnoxious |
| Oppressive | Pain in the ass |
| Payback | Perverse |
| Pesky | Pest |
| Phony | Pissed off |
| Pollute | Pompous |
| Pound | Preposterous |
| Pretentious | Provoke |
| Punch | Punish |
| Quixotic | Raise hell |
| Rampant | Rant |
| Ravage | Repelling |
| Repugnant | Revile |
| Revolting | Rotten |
| Rude | Ruined |
| Ruthless | Savage |
| Scam | Scold |
| Screw | Sick and tired |
| Sink | Slam |
| Slander | Slap |
| Slay | Smash |
| Smear | Smug |
| Sneaky | Sniveling |
| Snob | Snooty |
| Snotty | Spoil |
| Stink | Stuck up |
| Suck | Terrorize |
| Thug | Trash |
| Trounce | Tyranny |
| Underhanded | Up to here |
| Useless | Vicious |
| Violate | Violent |
| Weak | Worst |
5. Benefit Power Words
To highlight benefits, here’s a list of words to showcase advantages and perks:
| Act fast | Ahead of the game |
| Amplify | At the top |
| Attractive | Bank |
| Bargain | Beautiful |
| Before | Best |
| Big | Billion |
| Bold | Bonanza |
| Bonus | Booked solid |
| Booming | Boost |
| Boss | Brassy |
| Bright | Cash |
| Cheap | Cheat sheet |
| Clever | Costly |
| Crowned | Dazzling |
| Deadline | Discount |
| Dollar | Don’t miss out |
| Double | Drop-dead |
| Effective | Elegant |
| Elite | Exclusive / Exclusivity |
| Expires | Explode |
| Extra | Fast |
| Feast | Final |
| Fortunate | Fortune |
| Foxy | Free |
| Freebie | Frenzy |
| Frugal | Genius |
| Gift | Giveaway |
| Golden | Good-looking |
| Gorgeous | Greatest |
| Handsome | High-paying |
| Hurry | Immediately |
| In minutes | Inexpensive |
| Instant | Jackpot |
| Kick ass | Knockout |
| Legendary | Limited |
| Limited-time offer | Lowest price |
| Lucky | Luxurious |
| Marked down | Massive |
| Monetize | Money |
| Money-draining | Money-saving |
| Moneymaking | More |
| Nest egg | Never again |
| New | Notable |
| Noteworthy | Optimal |
| Pay zero | Premiere |
| Price break | Prize |
| Profit | Prosperous |
| Quadruple | Quick |
| Rapid | Reduced |
| Rich | Running out |
| Sale ends soon | Sassy |
| Save | Savings |
| Six-figure | Skyrocket |
| Smart | Soaring |
| Special | Successful |
| Super-human | Surge |
| Time-sensitive | Treasure |
| Triple | Turbo charge |
| Unbeaten | Undefeated |
| Upsell | Value |
| Waste | Wealth |
| Wealthy | While they last |
| Whopping | You |
6. Safety Power Words
To emphasize safety and security, use these words to convey protection:
| Above and beyond | According to |
| Accredited | Anonymous |
| Approved | As seen on |
| Authentic | Authoritative |
| Authority | Automatic |
| Backed | Bankable |
| Because | Best-selling |
| Bona fide | Cancel anytime |
| Case study | Certified |
| Clockwork | Dependable |
| Don’t worry | Endorsed |
| Ensured | Expert |
| Foolproof | Fully refundable |
| Genuine | Guaranteed |
| Guilt-free | Improved |
| Ironclad | Legitimate |
| Lifetime | Money-back |
| Moneyback | No obligation |
| No questions asked | No risk |
| No strings attached | No-fail |
| Official | Permanent |
| Popular | Privacy |
| Professional | Protected |
| Proven | Recession-proof |
| Recognized | Refund |
| Reliable | Research |
| Results | Risk-free |
| Rock-solid | Safety |
| Science-backed | Scientific |
| Scientifically proven | Secure |
| Studies show | Sure-fire |
| Survive | Tested |
| That never fails | Thorough |
| Track record | Trusted by |
| Trustworthy | Try before you buy |
| Unconditional | Verified |
| Verify | Well respected |
| World-class | Worldwide |
7. Curiosity Power Words
For an element of intrigue, these words can spark inquisitiveness and wonder in your writing:
| Ancient | Backdoor |
| Banned | Be the first |
| Become an insider | Behind the scenes |
| Bizarre | Black Market |
| Blacklisted | Bootleg |
| Censored | Class full |
| Classified | Cloak and dagger |
| Closet | Concealed |
| Confessions | Confidential |
| Controversial | Cover-up |
| Covert | Elusive |
| Exotic | Forbidden |
| Forgotten | From the vault |
| Hidden | Hilarious |
| Hush-hush | Illegal |
| Illusive | Incredibly |
| Insane | Insider |
| Interesting | Invitation only |
| Key | Little-known |
| Login required | Lost |
| Members only | Myths |
| Never seen before | Odd |
| Off the record | Off-limits |
| On the QT | Outlawed |
| Priceless | Private |
| Privy | Psycho |
| Remote | Restricted |
| Revealed | Ridiculous |
| Sealed | Secret |
| Secrets | Shocking |
| Smuggled | Spoiler |
| Ssshhh!!! | Strange |
| Supersecret | Thought-provoking |
| Top secret | Trade secret |
| Tried to hide | Unauthorized |
| Uncensored | Uncharted |
| Unconventional | Under the table |
| Under wraps | Under-the-table |
| Undercover | Underground |
| Undisclosed | Undiscovered |
| Unexpected | Unexplained |
| Unexplored | Unheard of |
| Unlock | Unreachable |
| Unspoken | Unsung |
| Untold | Unusual |
| Unveiled | Wacky |
| Withheld | Zany |
10 Places Power Words Can Be Used Effectively
- Homepage
- Email subject lines
- Opt-in boxes
- Headlines
- Subheadings
- Button copy (Call to action)
- Landing pages
- Testimonials
- YouTube videos
- Book titles
Conclusion
The impact of power words in your writing cannot be overstated, these words have the ability to captivate, engage, and persuade your audience like nothing else. Whether you’re looking to create compelling headlines, boost your email marketing, or craft an attention-grabbing call to action, the strategic use of power words can make all the difference.
Combine power words with these 5 ways copywriters write irresistible headlines for extra clickable copy.
