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
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Recent Examples of impotent
So there’s a feeling of resentment and inadequacy in Laszlo’s presence, and his strength as a character makes Attila feel impotent.
—
Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The stakes are also high for the Trump Administration, which risks appearing impotent shortly after taking power.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 29 Jan. 2025
Ten years into the Trump era, our Democratic avatars still feel obligated to signal their impotent superiority to the person who actually runs the place.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2025
Biden was impotent in the face of Putin’s Ukraine assault, and China has been flexing its muscles with minimal consequence.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impotent
Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
The stakes are also high for the Trump Administration, which risks appearing impotent shortly after taking power.
—Eric Cortellessa, TIME, 29 Jan. 2025
Ten years into the Trump era, our Democratic avatars still feel obligated to signal their impotent superiority to the person who actually runs the place.
—Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 28 Jan. 2025
Biden was impotent in the face of Putin’s Ukraine assault, and China has been flexing its muscles with minimal consequence.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 17 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impotent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impotent
Adjective
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Ultimately, the music industry should be a playground of endless discovery rather than a sterile filter bubble.—
Seth Yudof,
Rolling Stone,
3 Mar. 2025
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The rooms sprawl before her in a series of sterile hallways that seem to never end.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Abuse survivors can feel helpless trying to escape perpetrators or avoid being found and stalked when the safeguards in place are repeatedly violated, experts said, as in Lisa’s case.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2025
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Now, with the help of their dad’s right-hand woman Lucky (Poorna Jagannathan), the helpless brothers must assume the position as co-heads of his drug cartel.—
Max Gao,
NBC News,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This is where the montage sequences get really aggressive, assaulting the viewer with imagery of barren alien landscapes and skulls with the flesh melting off of their faces.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2025
-
Even along the relatively mild coasts, where summer temperatures hover just below freezing, the land is a barren expanse of rock, ice and snow.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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It's used for amputees, paralyzed drivers and those suffering from hip displacement issues.—
Swish Goswami,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
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Two people have been convicted on conspiracy and murder charges for their role in a triple shooting in Hartford in 2021 that left one man dead, another paralyzed and a third victim injured.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As the market sell-off gains steam, a handful of quality stocks could outperform and buck the broader weak trend for equities, according to Bernstein.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
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Many offensive cyber firms set up shop in countries with weak regulations, providing hacking tools and services to buyers worldwide.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impotent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impotent. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
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