POSSESS Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

possess

verb

pə-ˈzes

Definition of possess

as in to have

to keep, control, or experience as one's own she possesses a keen insight into people

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 possess In recent years, the state has pursued some public health interventions but has leaned heavily on increasing criminal penalties for using and possessing fentanyl. — Joshua Barocas, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026 In Jennifer’s Body, Needy (Seyfried) is BFFs with the titular mean girl played by Fox, whose body becomes possessed by a succubus with a taste for teen boys after a botched sacrifice by a devil-worshipping boy band (led by Adam Brody). — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026 The next compute divide may not separate enterprises that possess quantum computers from those that do not. — Rajjie Sarmey, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 His release conditions prohibit him from possessing or using firearms, contacting Goldfein or consuming alcohol. — Raul Trey Lopez, San Antonio Express-News, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for possess

Recent Examples of Synonyms for possess

Verb

New discoveries matter only if companies have the incentive and capital to bring them to market.

— Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Fellow guard Nick Dorn (Indiana) had 8 points and six rebounds.

— Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of have

Verb

More sports news Boxing champion Daniel Dubois retained his WBO heavyweight title with a brutal second-round stoppage of Fabio Wardley on Saturday at the O2 Arena in London.

— Kayla Hayempour, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
The Connecticut Business and Industry Association’s annual business survey, released in September, found that some 72% of respondents reported having difficulty finding and retaining workers, with skill gaps being a notable part of the problem.

— P.R. Lockhart, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of retain

Verb

Now owned by the state of Bavaria, the ⁠Kehlsteinhaus was classified after the war as a historical monument recalling the Nazi period.

— Reuters, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026
The house is owned by his father-in-law, Robert Brockway, who owned a group of Mercedes-Benz dealerships in the Miami metropolitan area.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of own

Verb

People went through the admission and security checkpoints without issues, and the event’s early evening acts enjoyed mostly dry stages with light, intermittent rain.

— Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026
Patel seemed to enjoy the process, even though many people did not answer their doors and most of those who did had not heard about the election at all.

— Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of enjoy

Browse Nearby Words

posses

possess

possessed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Possess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possess. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of possess

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

puissant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 23

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes