POSSESSED Synonyms: 125 Similar and Opposite Words

possessed 1 of 2

adjective

pə-ˈzest

Definition of possessed

as in composed

free from emotional or mental agitation remarkably poised and possessed in the midst of all the turmoil

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

possessed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of possess

as in owned

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

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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 possessed

Adjective

Whether it was penned by Apa or some Brit with possessed hips, the song soon took off. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2026 During the interviews, officers confirmed that 27 of the 28 individuals had either received, sent, possessed or transported child pornography, according to the statement. — Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026

Verb

Neornithes possessed advanced feathers that kept them warmer during the post-asteroid impact winter. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Sep. 2026 In the second half, the Broncos had a 20-play touchdown drive that took nearly a quarter off the clock and possessed the ball more than twice as long as the Wolverines did. — ABC News, 10 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for possessed

Recent Examples of Synonyms for possessed

Adjective

Each component is prepared separately, allowing the individual flavors and textures to shine before coming together in a balanced, composed bowl.

— Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2026
Wrexham’s more direct approach, particularly when defenders Cleworth and Callum Doyle were picking out wing-backs Danny Imray and Ryan Longman with raking 50-yard deliveries, would have paid dividends with more composed finishing.

— Richard Sutcliffe, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of composed

Verb

Bred and owned by German breeder Julius-Peter Sinnack, United’s parents come from an unusually close family line.

— Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
About half of the lawsuits were filed in Marshall’s name and the other half were filed by Heartland Regional OBGYN, the Great Bend practice that Marshall solely owned from 1998 to 2012 and retained co-ownership of until 2019, The Times reported.

— Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of owned

Adjective

Data brokers legally comb the internet for such information, build profiles using the collected information, and sell those profiles to anyone who’ll pay.

— Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
Paired with the Emme play table, this duo creates the kind of collected look that feels professionally layered.

— Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 31 July 2026

Definition of collected

Verb

Many attributed the country’s stability and prosperity to Putin, who in fact had little to do with either.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
The administration's efforts had the potential to be especially disruptive in states like Washington and Oregon that send out ballots entirely by mail.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of had

Adjective

Expect to see a calm and composed figure in the heart of defence alongside Virgil van Dijk this season; and if Liverpool begin motoring towards the top positions, Jacquet will surely be a big part of it.

— David Ornstein, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Last week, 200 officers from the National Crime Agency and other forces were drafted in to calm tensions.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of calm

Verb

Tallman — who has retained an attorney and is researching his litigation options against Sanders and Drastic Measures — is still in the industry as well.

— Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026
Over the last four cycles, the Olympic roster has retained about 70 percent of the previous World Cup roster, but that doesn’t take into account some last-minute changes and unexpected injuries so the true retention rate is even a bit higher.

— Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of retained

Adjective

Related Stories While onstage before his new film bowed on the first night of the serene Colorado festival, Haigh seemed faintly astonished to be there at all.

— Clayton Davis, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026
Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens Tucked away in a serene corner of West Palm Beach, the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens offer a tranquil escape into art and nature.

— Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of serene

Verb

Detroit enjoyed a historic regular season thanks in large part to Duren’s contributions.

— Hunter Patterson, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Based on findings published in the journal Science Advances, some communities in present-day Indonesia enjoyed the effects of betel nuts as long as 25,000 years ago.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of enjoyed

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“Possessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possessed. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of possessed

adjective

verb

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