impotent

adjective

ˈim-pə-tənt How to pronounce impotent (audio)
Definition of impotentnext
1
as in sterile
not able to produce fruit or offspring most mules are impotent

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose an impotent ruler who was just a figurehead

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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 impotent Decadence is the vanity of bodybuilders made impotent by steroids. — Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026 The Iranian regime is being rendered impotent. — FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026 Even in places that offer highly advanced health care, doctors have felt impotent trying to undo the damage when these horrors return. — Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026 This unsettling thriller about impotent (emotionally, literally) university professor Ali (Turkish star Ekin Koç), on the path to vengeance after the suspicious death of his mother, scored strong reviews (including my own) and the World Cinema Directing Award out of the Utah festival. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 14 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impotent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impotent
  1. sterile
  2. helpless
  3. barren
  4. paralyzed
  5. weak
Adjective
  • Carson only had mere days to turn the sterile studio into something far cozier and conducive to the wide-ranging conversations Paltrow hoped to conduct during the show, which launches with Zoe Saldana as the first guest.
    — Juliet Izon, Architectural Digest, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Warm, earthy neutrals and cohesive, tone-on-tone palettes are replacing sterile grays and bold color blocking.
    — Shivani Vyas, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of sterile
Adjective
  • Nvidia is the pitiful, helpless giant, now revealed, according to the bears, to have just propped up an ecosystem for its own earnings, with a CEO now revealed to be a dubious character.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2026
  • In an America where people my age feel particularly subjugated and helpless, accusing someone else of political and moral impropriety and defending your case with your life can instill in you feelings of reified self-empowerment and control.
    — Ivy Wolk, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of helpless
Adjective
  • Away from the shore, the tundra is barren, a broad expanse of moss, lichen, and exposed rock.
    — Joshua Yaffa, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026
  • After five years in development at Retro Studios, the original makers of the Metroid Prime series, fans were greeted with annoying side characters, a bike for Samus to roam the barren landscape on, and a deeply unsatisfying ending.
    — Daryl Baxter, Space.com, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of barren
Adjective
  • These nonverbal characteristics are important for conveying emotion, and paralyzed people unable to move their facial muscles lose their ability to communicate in this critical dimension.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 Nov. 2026
  • She has been held in Tewksbury Hospital since shortly after the killings and remains partially paralyzed due to her suicide attempt.
    — Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of paralyzed
Adjective
  • Trump was implying Ukraine was in a weak negotiating position and did not have the military resources to fight against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
    — Tom Jurkowsky, Baltimore Sun, 2 Nov. 2026
  • And some players are turning on the season as seen by them letting the Jaguars tear through weak tackle attempts to the tune of 183 rushing yards and three passing TDs by Trevor Lawrence.
    — Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of weak

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impotent
impotently
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Cite this Entry

“Impotent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impotent. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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