as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
claims that such restrictions on military interventions on foreign soil would render the nation an impuissant giant on the world stage
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Recent Examples of impuissant
The failsafe option of fake news Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the impuissant opposition, settled down in a comfortable chair, and readied himself for his regular, televised roasting.
—
Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
The failsafe option of fake news
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the impuissant opposition, settled down in a comfortable chair, and readied himself for his regular, televised roasting.
—Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
The failsafe option of fake news
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the impuissant opposition, settled down in a comfortable chair, and readied himself for his regular, televised roasting.
—Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impuissant
Adjective
-
Not long after, Brady looked helpless on his final snap as a Patriot, standing at the 1-yard line with nine seconds left because of that maneuver, which Stretch stole from Brady’s head coach and turned against them both.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
7 Aug. 2025
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As for the Aces, Vegas has lost two in a row and looked helpless last time out, losing 109-78 to the Minnesota Lynx.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 July 2025
Adjective
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That fortune extended to Rice himself, who could have been maimed or paralyzed or otherwise unable to walk away.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
18 July 2025
-
At the wedding of one of her clients, matchmaker Lucy knows just what to ask when the bride-to-be becomes paralyzed by trepidation.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
And if tariffs only cause a one-time jump in prices, weaker purchasing power could slow the economy.—
Raul Elizalde,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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Despite these efforts, economic conditions and weak demand for domestic leisure travel pose challenges.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The American people overwhelmingly rate Social Security as the most important program in our country and oppose cuts that would leave our seniors high and dry.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
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Astronomers say the location is both high and dry enough to provide clear skies for observing the universe.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
Adjective
-
This kind of data delusion and fact fiction is, on the one hand, very sad, the mark of a man too fragile, impotent and incompetent to accept reality or withstand criticism.—
S.E. Cupp,
New York Daily News,
7 Aug. 2025
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With the incompetent and corrupt federal administration no longer involved, private investors might be willing to jump in.—
Joe Mathews,
Mercury News,
2 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impuissant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impuissant. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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