impuissant

adjective

(ˌ)im-ˈpwi-sᵊnt How to pronounce impuissant (audio)
Definition of impuissantnext
as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose claims that such restrictions on military interventions on foreign soil would render the nation an impuissant giant on the world stage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impuissant
  1. helpless
  2. paralyzed
  3. weak
  4. high and dry
  5. incompetent
Adjective
  • The moment when the couple’s infant child is taken from them by the authorities is devastating, each of them capturing a sense of helpless isolation from themselves, their community and each other.
    — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • But the funding cuts mean more and more families like Zarmina's are left helpless.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of helpless
Adjective
  • The story follows Lowen, a struggling writer hired to complete the book series of renowned author Verity Crawford after an accident leaves Verity paralyzed and unable to communicate.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The injuries left her paralyzed from the waist down after jumping from a second-story window.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of paralyzed
Adjective
  • The makeup is top-tier, the Aaliyah swoop bang is swooping, and the jewelry accents stand out without doing too much, which is usually her weak spot.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Brennan's maiden win came at the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship in November against an admittedly weaker field.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • My first boyfriend left me high and dry just before it, and another guy took me.
    — Jeremy Rellosa, Curbed, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The unofficial end of summer left some boaters in Minnesota high and dry over Labor Day weekend.
    — Nick Lunemann, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of high and dry
Adjective
  • If Thompson was found to be incompetent due to a mental condition, he likely won’t ever be executed.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
  • In April, a judge found Rodriquez Singh incompetent to stand trial and ordered her to undergo treatment at a state hospital intended to restore her competency.
    — Doug Myers, CBS News, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of incompetent
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.

Browse Nearby Words

impuissance
impuissant
impulse
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Cite this Entry

“Impuissant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impuissant. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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