powerless
adjective
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Definition of powerless
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Synonyms & Antonyms for powerless
Synonyms
hamstrung, handcuffed, helpless, high and dry, hog-tied, impotent, impuissant, paralyzed, weak
Antonyms
mighty, potent, powerful, puissant, strong
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Examples of powerless in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
People feel powerless with respect to important things, and that leaves them open to be manipulated politically. — Christopher Borrelli, chicagotribune.com, "Our summer of fear: A conversation with Chicago philosopher Martha Nussbaum," 9 July 2018 Californians were powerless, without air-conditioning, in the hottest weather many had ever experienced. — Jason Samenow, Washington Post, "Record heat put thousands of Californians in the dark Friday. Scientists predicted this from climate change.," 9 July 2018 These are tools of the relatively weak and powerless, and highlighting them as the only means through which the exercise of free discourse can be constrained is missing the bulk of the story. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "NFL owners are stifling speech, but it’s not called “no-platforming” when you’re rich and own the platform," 25 May 2018 By definition, cultural appropriation hurts the powerless, and the Catholic church is one of the most powerful institutions in the world. — Jessica Andrews, Teen Vogue, "The Met Gala 2018 Theme Isn't Cultural Appropriation," 9 May 2018 The prospect of losing your friendship (or other consequences) may only make your friend feel more isolated, trapped, misunderstood, and powerless. — Carolyn L. Todd, SELF, "5 Helpful Things to Say to a Friend Who Self-Harms (and 3 to Avoid)," 1 Mar. 2019 Their poor parents are powerless to stop the crying, yelling and screaming. — Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, "Colin Hanks Shares a Heartfelt Story About Luke Perry Following the Actor's Tragic Death," 5 Mar. 2019 Historically, America has viewed victims as powerless and two-dimensional. — Lara Backmender, Glamour, "The March for Our Lives Activists Who Said Never Again," 1 Nov. 2018 That movie was very much about the issues that women face and about the feeling of being powerless and about the feeling of wanting to turn the tables. — Todd Vanderwerff, Vox, "The life, death, and rebirth of Jennifer’s Body, according to screenwriter Diablo Cody," 10 Nov. 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'powerless.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for powerless
powerless
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of powerless
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powerless
adjective
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Kids Definition of powerless
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