as in inability
the lack of sufficient ability, power, or means
the congressional committee's essential impotence in affecting the management of the war was frustrating to its members
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Recent Examples of impotence
Providers who volunteer and are accepted will agree to seek prior authorization for 17 items and services, including skin substitutes, deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s Disease, impotence treatment, and arthroscopy for knee osteoarthritis.
—
Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 27 July 2025
Tempest’s description evokes a dreamlike horror, laced with black humor:
Men were still stuck in the mud all over the battlefield, imploring help to lift them out : half crazy with the sense of their own impotence, and the enemy shelling. . . .
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
There have been encouraging signs in other games or even in consecutive games, only to have the Padres revert to being the offensive impatience and impotence.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
The surgery to remove the prostate is often done outpatient, and has low risk for incontinence and impotence, but can cause erectile dysfunction, which can be treated by medication.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for impotence
Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 27 July 2025
Tempest’s description evokes a dreamlike horror, laced with black humor:
Men were still stuck in the mud all over the battlefield, imploring help to lift them out : half crazy with the sense of their own impotence, and the enemy shelling. . . .
—Ed Caesar, New Yorker, 13 July 2025
There have been encouraging signs in other games or even in consecutive games, only to have the Padres revert to being the offensive impatience and impotence.
—Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 July 2025
The surgery to remove the prostate is often done outpatient, and has low risk for incontinence and impotence, but can cause erectile dysfunction, which can be treated by medication.
—Nicole Villalpando, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for impotence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impotence
inability
Noun
-
In other democracies, such inability to drive through legislation would most likely be met by a confidence vote, perhaps the ousting of the head of the party of government and a general election.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Fifty-five percent of manufacturers in the state said cost increases have been the biggest impact and 32% reported that uncertainty or an inability to plan was the biggest impact.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impotence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impotence. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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