1
a
: controlled or overwhelmingly influenced by something (such as an evil spirit, a passion, or an idea)
a horror movie about a possessed child
was always possessed by/with music
worked day and night like a man/woman possessed [=single-mindedly, obsessively]
b
: urgently wanting to do or have something
was possessed by/with winning
I'm obsessed. I'm possessed. I mean, once you are in cinema, you cannot stop.—
Jonas Mekas, quoted at NPR
Jonas Mekas, quoted at NPR2
obsolete
: held as a possession
3
Examples of possessed in a Sentence
a horror movie about a possessed child
remarkably poised and possessed in the midst of all the turmoil
Recent Examples on the Web
One of those nods was for Linda Blair, who expertly played the possessed little girl.
—Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
The Nun pops out of a wall, a demon appears on a bed, crosses start to spin, a possessed figure scampers across the ceiling and a man with an axe cornered me in a random closet.
—Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
As possessed people speak in foreign tongues and violence rises, Ahmed fears regaining memory, while the disciple fears his master’s decline may unleash an ancient evil.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
The real-life doll itself is an old Raggedy Ann, which is said to be one of the most possessed items the Warrens owned.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for possessed
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Stephanie Sengwe, PEOPLE, 30 Oct. 2025
The Nun pops out of a wall, a demon appears on a bed, crosses start to spin, a possessed figure scampers across the ceiling and a man with an axe cornered me in a random closet.
—Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2025
As possessed people speak in foreign tongues and violence rises, Ahmed fears regaining memory, while the disciple fears his master’s decline may unleash an ancient evil.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
The real-life doll itself is an old Raggedy Ann, which is said to be one of the most possessed items the Warrens owned.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for possessed
Cite this Entry
“Possessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/possessed. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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