as in to have
to keep, control, or experience as one's own
she possesses a keen insight into people
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of possess
Before last summer’s war, the International Atomic Energy Agency estimated that Tehran possessed more than 400 kilograms enriched to 60 percent—dangerously close to weapons-grade and sufficient for roughly 11 nuclear weapons if further enriched.
—
Richard Goldberg, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Three plaintiffs, two of whom are minors, accuse xAI of distributing, possessing and producing with intent to distribute child pornography.
—Faiz Siddiqui, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2026
Cid possesses exceptional drawing ability, demonstrating control, precision, and sensitivity far beyond the typical high school level.
—Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
The nation is now thought to possess up to 50 nuclear warheads and enough fissile material to produce roughly 40 more, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
—Karishma Vaswani, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for possess
Richard Goldberg, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
Three plaintiffs, two of whom are minors, accuse xAI of distributing, possessing and producing with intent to distribute child pornography.
—Faiz Siddiqui, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2026
Cid possesses exceptional drawing ability, demonstrating control, precision, and sensitivity far beyond the typical high school level.
—Heide Janssen, Oc Register, 15 Mar. 2026
The nation is now thought to possess up to 50 nuclear warheads and enough fissile material to produce roughly 40 more, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
—Karishma Vaswani, Twin Cities, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for possess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possess
Verb
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Some runways really have that brain chemistry-altering power, and the spectacle that Marc Jacobs created for the Louis Vuitton fall 2012 show is one such example.—
Rosie Jarman,
Vogue,
16 Mar. 2026
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According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the 41-year-old had a criminal history and his temporary legal status had expired.—
Marissa Armas,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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For now, King retains his longtime employees, who, in the wake of the lawsuits and investigations, receive higher wages.—
Boyce Upholt,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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Such materials are known to be able to store data and retain state without power (like flash memory).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Every character has an adorable quirk or two, or at minimum owns a dorky T-shirt with a periodic table joke or a cartoon cat.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Mar. 2026
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That grant application was withdrawn at Barry’s request because Dahlin still owned the property and the town’s Redevelopment Commission hadn’t been consulted.—
Jim Woods,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Go paddleboarding on Lady Bird Lake, dive into the deep blue water at Barton Springs, and enjoy some breakfast tacos to complete the Austin trifecta.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
21 Mar. 2026
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On Thursday, fans were packed inside Tom's Watch Bar on the North Shore, enjoying the mid-day celebration of postseason basketball.—
Josh Taylor,
CBS News,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Possess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possess. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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