possesses

verb

present tense third-person singular of possess
as in owns
to keep, control, or experience as one's own she possesses a keen insight into people

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 possesses One is that Chris’ soul possesses Billy’s car at her death and turns it into Stephen King’s famous killer car, Christine. — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2026 NDCs are certificates or licenses that signal that a worker possesses a particular qualification or competency. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026 But disagreement does not necessarily mean that one side possesses wisdom while the other possesses ignorance or evil. — Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026 Her path crosses with that of Inocência, an enslaved Black woman who possesses healing knowledge, knows the land, and devises her own strategies of resistance. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 More than 5% of equipment and materials supplied to US chipmakers originate in China, which also possesses some 90% of the rare earths required to manufacture semiconductors, a new report showed. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026 The silhouette of the 2CV possesses a distinct European character that newer global competitors simply cannot replicate. — New Atlas, 12 Oct. 2026 Like Wilde, Basil possesses an idealistic devotion to beauty and love that proves his undoing. — Hannah Aizenman, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026 Africa possesses enormous energy resources, including offshore oil and gas fields along the coasts of Namibia and South Africa and copper—which is used in electric grids—in central Africa. — Jared Cohen, Foreign Affairs, 7 Oct. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possesses
  1. owns
  2. has
  3. retains
  4. enjoys
Verb
  • Her mother taught her to drive in a 1961 Porsche 356 coupe, a car Brundage now owns.
    — Chris Hardesty, AJC.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • De Soto data center Digital Realty is a global real estate company that owns and operates data centers.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of owns
Verb
  • Chinander said his staff has been studying film of Moore’s time as OC at Missouri in 2025, while Danielson also has notes from facing Moore during the latter’s time as OC with Fresno State in 2022.
    — Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 21 Oct. 2026
  • At the same time, more than nine in 10 Americans say the federal government has the power to make a positive impact on society — suggesting many believe the current administration is not making use of that power.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of has
Verb
  • The latest unit retains the same first six forward ratios as the outgoing Carrera T’s manual transmission, but ditches its predecessor’s somewhat awkward and largely superfluous seventh gear.
    — Bradley Iger, Robb Report, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Lerner retains her credit as executive proucer alongside Helford; Curtis; Eric and Kim Tannenbaum and Jason Wang for the Tannenbaum Company; Scott Schwartz; and Lionsgate Television.
    — Selome Hailu, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of retains
Verb
  • Arasha enjoys a few choice manipulative moves in her litany of parts, reversing situations that seem to have no obvious good outcome.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Ye-ji wants an interview, and Mi-ok enjoys the interest and attention.
    — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of enjoys

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Cite this Entry

“Possesses.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possesses. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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