powerless
adjective
pow·er·less
ˈpau̇(-ə)r-ləs 
1
: devoid of strength or resources
powerless victims
2
: lacking the authority or capacity to act
was powerless to help
powerlessly
adverb
powerlessness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of powerless in a Sentence
I wish I could help you, but I am powerless in this situation.
Recent Examples on the Web
With the 95,000-ton cargo ship Dali powerless and hurtling helplessly toward the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the harbor pilot commanding the vessel had just minutes to make his last, desperate attempts to avoid disaster.
—
Joshua Goodman and Richard Lardner, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2024
The devastation at the site of the collapse, which happened when the powerless cargo ship struck a pillar supporting the bridge early Tuesday, is extensive.
—Lea Skene, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
At that point, the Dali was drifting, powerless, toward the bridge at a speed of about 8 knots.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC News, 27 Mar. 2024
In real life, many of the women are powerless, says Alicia Keller, one of the early critics of the trend and an ex-wife to a mafia-affiliate.
—USA TODAY, 27 Mar. 2024
Don't underestimate yourself, and refuse to be powerless.
—Julia Rafal-Baer, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Critics have long maintained that the networks are relatively powerless to push back against a dissembling, rambling Trump as the cameras roll — even if an interview is taped.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 24 Mar. 2024
The ensuing fallout unravels like (and is loosely inspired by) a Greek tragedy, where carnage is inevitable and the players are powerless.
—Allaire Nuss, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2024
Individual sellers often feel powerless to negotiate a better deal for themselves, given the risk that offering lower commissions could cause brokers to steer buyers to other properties, said Robert Braun, a partner in Cohen Milstein’s antitrust practice.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
Joshua Goodman and Richard Lardner, Quartz, 29 Mar. 2024
The devastation at the site of the collapse, which happened when the powerless cargo ship struck a pillar supporting the bridge early Tuesday, is extensive.
—Lea Skene, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
At that point, the Dali was drifting, powerless, toward the bridge at a speed of about 8 knots.
—Rich Schapiro, NBC News, 27 Mar. 2024
In real life, many of the women are powerless, says Alicia Keller, one of the early critics of the trend and an ex-wife to a mafia-affiliate.
—USA TODAY, 27 Mar. 2024
Don't underestimate yourself, and refuse to be powerless.
—Julia Rafal-Baer, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Critics have long maintained that the networks are relatively powerless to push back against a dissembling, rambling Trump as the cameras roll — even if an interview is taped.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 24 Mar. 2024
The ensuing fallout unravels like (and is loosely inspired by) a Greek tragedy, where carnage is inevitable and the players are powerless.
—Allaire Nuss, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2024
Individual sellers often feel powerless to negotiate a better deal for themselves, given the risk that offering lower commissions could cause brokers to steer buyers to other properties, said Robert Braun, a partner in Cohen Milstein’s antitrust practice.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 15 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'powerless.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Powerless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/powerless. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
powerless
adjective
pow·er·less
ˈpau̇(-ə)r-ləs
1
: lacking power, force, or energy
2
: lacking authority to act
powerlessly
adverb
powerlessness
noun
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