possessed; possessing; possesses
2
a
: to seize and take control of : take into one's possession
b
: to enter into and control firmly : dominate
was possessed by demons
c
: to bring or cause to fall under the influence, domination, or control of some emotional or intellectual response or reaction
melancholy possesses her
3
a
obsolete
: to instate as owner
b
: to make the owner or holder
—used in passive construction to indicate simple possession
possessed of riches
possessed of knowledge and experience
Examples of possess in a Sentence
What would possess seemingly sane people to treat concrete walls like trampolines?
—
Alice Park, Time, 16 Apr. 2007
People who experience specific colors when looking at particular letters, such as seeing sky blue when shown an R, possess an unusual abundance of connections in brain areas involved in word and color perception, a new brain-imaging investigation finds.
—Bruce Bower, Science News, 26 May 2007
What does matter is that we come to recognize that playfulness, as a philosophical stance, can be very serious, indeed; and, moreover, that it possesses an unfailing capacity to arouse ridicule and hostility in those among us who crave certainty, reverence, and restraint.
—Tom Robbins, Harper's, September 2004
nations that possess nuclear weapons
The defendant was charged with possessing cocaine.
The ruby was once possessed by an ancient queen.
He dreams of someday possessing great wealth.
He possesses a keen wit.
The drug possesses the potential to suppress tumors.
Do dolphins possess the ability to use language?
Alice Park, Time, 16 Apr. 2007
People who experience specific colors when looking at particular letters, such as seeing sky blue when shown an R, possess an unusual abundance of connections in brain areas involved in word and color perception, a new brain-imaging investigation finds.
—Bruce Bower, Science News, 26 May 2007
What does matter is that we come to recognize that playfulness, as a philosophical stance, can be very serious, indeed; and, moreover, that it possesses an unfailing capacity to arouse ridicule and hostility in those among us who crave certainty, reverence, and restraint.
—Tom Robbins, Harper's, September 2004
nations that possess nuclear weapons
The defendant was charged with possessing cocaine.
The ruby was once possessed by an ancient queen.
He dreams of someday possessing great wealth.
He possesses a keen wit.
The drug possesses the potential to suppress tumors.
Do dolphins possess the ability to use language?
Recent Examples on the Web
The question of who ultimately possesses the authority to impose tariffs has remained the key to those who wish to challenge the tariffs, with an 11-judge panel appearing unconvinced that Trump can bypass Congress on the issue, particularly when looking at the IEEPA.
—Peter Aitken
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
No football player, including Underwood himself, strives in Pop Warner to possess his unique skill.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2025
Military personnel are allowed to possess personal firearms that are legally registered, but there are restrictions on how they can be brought onto a base.
—Emily Chang, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2025
Seven small muscles controlled its eyeballs—one more than humans possess—while its inner ears were comparatively gigantic.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for possess
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Peter Aitken
hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Aug. 2025
No football player, including Underwood himself, strives in Pop Warner to possess his unique skill.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2025
Military personnel are allowed to possess personal firearms that are legally registered, but there are restrictions on how they can be brought onto a base.
—Emily Chang, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2025
Seven small muscles controlled its eyeballs—one more than humans possess—while its inner ears were comparatively gigantic.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for possess
Cite this Entry
“Possess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/possess. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
possess
transitive verb
pos·sess
pə-ˈzes 
: to have possession of
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share