What does supercharge mean?
Supercharge means to add extra power, intensity, or effectiveness to something. It is especially common in technology, business, and promotional language, as in supercharging a system, a campaign, or productivity. The word can describe a literal increase in an engine’s power, but it is also widely used figuratively for giving people renewed energy, confidence, or motivation. Because it suggests a substantial and often rapid boost, supercharge is more emphatic than simply increase or improve. Its metaphorical use is informal and frequently appears in advertising, sports, and workplace communication, while technical uses may refer to a specific form of forced induction in an internal-combustion engine.
verbTo give something extra power, strength, or intensity, or to make it more effective. In figurative use, to energize or inspire someone to greater effort or enthusiasm.
- To increase the power, output, or effectiveness of a machine, system, or process.
- To give someone greater energy, confidence, or enthusiasm for a demanding task or undertaking.
"The new software is designed to supercharge the productivity of small businesses."
"The engineers supercharged the prototype before its final test."
"Her motivational speech supercharged the team for the championship."
A supercharger boosts an engine’s power without replacing the engine itself, while the word also fuels human motivation and performance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does supercharge come from?
The word combines the prefix super-, meaning beyond or to an excessive degree, with charge, in the sense of supplying power or storing electrical energy. Its development reflects the early and widespread use of superchargers in engines, devices, and machinery. The figurative sense of greatly increasing energy or effectiveness developed later by analogy with the mechanical meaning.
Related word forms
How supercharge is actually used
The word is informal to conversational in figurative contexts and is often used in business, technology, and promotional language. In technical contexts, it may refer specifically to a device or system that increases the power of an engine.
Easily confused with supercharge
Recharge means to restore the energy or charge already present in a battery or device, whereas supercharge means to add extra power or intensity to it.