What does powerlifter mean?
A powerlifter is an athlete who specializes in powerlifting, a strength sport centered on the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Competitors usually attempt to lift the greatest possible weight in each event while staying within their assigned weight class. Their competition total is calculated by adding their best successful lifts from the three disciplines, making consistent performance across all three events essential. The word is associated with disciplined training, substantial bodyweight, technical strength, and the careful management of weight and recovery. Although powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting share the general category of weightlifting, they are separate sports: powerlifting emphasizes the squat, bench press, and deadlift, while Olympic weightlifting uses the snatch and clean and jerk. Powerlifters may compete in amateur, collegiate, national, and international events.
nounA powerlifter is an athlete who competes in powerlifting, a strength sport based primarily on the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Powerlifters compete in weight classes, with the best successful lift from each of the three events combined to determine their total.
- An athlete who competes in powerlifting, performing the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
"After years of dedicated training, she became a competitive powerlifter and earned a place on the national team."
"The powerlifter set a new personal record in the deadlift."
"The federation requires every powerlifter to weigh in before the competition begins."
The regular plural is used when referring to multiple athletes.
"Several powerlifters qualified for the national championship."
A powerlifter's competition total is built from the best successful squat, bench press, and deadlift, turning three maximal lifts into a single decisive score.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does powerlifter come from?
The word is a compound of power and lift. Power entered English through Anglo-Norman and ultimately Latin roots associated with strength or capacity, while lift comes from Old Norse lypta, meaning to raise or elevate. The compound powerlifter developed in modern usage as a name for an athlete who trains and competes in powerlifting.
Related word forms
How powerlifter is actually used
The term is primarily used in sporting contexts. It is distinct from the broader term weightlifter, which may refer to a practitioner of Olympic weightlifting or, less precisely, to someone who lifts heavy weights.
Easily confused with powerlifter
A powerlifter competes in the squat, bench press, and deadlift, whereas a weightlifter generally competes in the snatch and clean and jerk, the two lifts used in Olympic weightlifting.