IMPUISSANT Synonyms: 55 Similar and Opposite Words

impuissant

adjective

(ˌ)im-ˈpwi-sᵊnt

Definition of impuissant

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for impuissant

Adjective

But most crashes are like an instance that happened over the weekend when a deer came over the median barrier of Route 28 in the area of Cheswick and a driver was helpless to avoid it.

— John Shumway, CBS News, 10 Nov. 2026
Nvidia is the pitiful, helpless giant, now revealed, according to the bears, to have just propped up an ecosystem for its own earnings, with a CEO now revealed to be a dubious character.

— Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026

Definition of helpless

Adjective

These nonverbal characteristics are important for conveying emotion, and paralyzed people unable to move their facial muscles lose their ability to communicate in this critical dimension.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
She has been held in Tewksbury Hospital since shortly after the killings and remains partially paralyzed due to her suicide attempt.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of paralyzed

Adjective

Trump was implying Ukraine was in a weak negotiating position and did not have the military resources to fight against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

— Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 2 Nov. 2026
And some players are turning on the season as seen by them letting the Jaguars tear through weak tackle attempts to the tune of 183 rushing yards and three passing TDs by Trevor Lawrence.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of weak

Adjective

Even after the immediate emergencies were dealt with, localities and their people could be left high and dry, with not idea how to rebuild or money to do so.

— New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 30 Oct. 2026
My first boyfriend left me high and dry just before it, and another guy took me.

— Jeremy Rellosa, Curbed, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of high and dry

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

See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

Style

“Impuissant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impuissant. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of impuissant

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

boilerplate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes