possession

1
as in hands
the fact or state of having (something) at one's disposal a student who was found to have several overdue library books in his possession

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
as in occupancy
the act or fact of residing in a place squatters had established possession in the abandoned warehouse

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of possession Anthony Aguirre, 25, Aguirre pleaded guilty in August to distributing fentanyl to a minor and being a felon in possession of a gun. Andrea Klick, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2025 Miami has had trouble defending a Cleveland offense that posted the NBA’s top offensive rating this regular season, as the Cavaliers also entered Thursday with the NBA’s best offensive rating at this early stage of the playoffs with 133 points scored per 100 possessions. Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2025 The Rockets were 22nd in half-court points per possession during the regular season, although the Warriors weren't much better at 20th. Bryan Toporek, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025 The brand is in possession of 36 loopwheel machines, which are rare to find and even more difficult to fix or find parts for. Hikmat Mohammed, Footwear News, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for possession
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possession
Noun
  • Seventeen studios that operate the majority of stages in L.A. posted average occupancy rates of 63 percent last year, down from 69 percent in 2023.
    Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 14 Apr. 2025
  • At its highest, in Q2 of 2024, occupancy was at 67%.
    Lynette Rice, Deadline, 6 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Pettit's return to Earth is a bit of a bummer for space fans, who will soon be deprived of a source of enjoyment.
    Mike Wall, Space.com, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Under the Organic Act of 1916, NPS employees are to protect the nation’s parks and monuments while also providing for public enjoyment now and for future generations.
    Jayme Moye, Outside Online, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The challenge has always been to figure out how to personalize things without spending inordinate amounts of time and money mapping out every possible path a student might take.
    Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
  • As a business owner, higher profit margins, all other things being equal, are more valuable.
    Bill Stone, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • In the first week of its occupation, some 50 desperate women arrived at Ms. Banyere’s doorstep.
    Sophie Neiman, Christian Science Monitor, 23 Apr. 2025
  • The Obama administration refused to recognize Russia’s control of the territory, and in 2018, the first Trump administration reaffirmed that position, calling for Russia to end its occupation.
    Laura Kelly, The Hill, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • When healthy, Cabrera possesses some of the most electric stuff in the game.
    Isaac Azout, Miami Herald, 17 Apr. 2025
  • And somebody who does not have that skill and talent makes terrible looking stuff for those tools.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The base itself was a study in the feasibility of long-term human habitation on the ice sheet.
    Katie Hunt, CNN, 15 Mar. 2025
  • All of this is now possible thanks to an advanced 3D printing-welding approach that can print these large habitation structures.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 31 Dec. 2024

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Possession.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possession. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on possession

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!