possessing

verb

present participle of possess
as in owning
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 possessing Sheriff’s officials said he previously had been arrested on suspicion of possessing an assault weapon and being a felon in possession of a firearm. — Sacbee.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Anyone possessing marijuana for personal use can be jailed for a month, while distribution and sales are punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment depending on the amount seized. — ABC News, 5 Aug. 2026 Though quietly caring and possessing rich inner worlds, both King and Etna are dispassionate narrators. — Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2026 Texans caught possessing products covered by the ban can face serious criminal penalties. — Tiffani Jackson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Aug. 2026 MIlls pleaded guilty to burglarizing Up Coffee and Heather's and possessing burglary tools at The Briar. — Wcco Staff, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026 Mastrocinque was charged with offensive behavior and possessing an unregistered, unauthorized pistol in a public place, the outlet stated. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 4 Aug. 2026 The father of a school shooter in Washington state was convicted of possessing a firearm not registered to him, but was not charged for the shooting itself. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 30 July 2026 Vermont has strict laws against possession of heroin and cocaine, but users in Burlington are rarely arrested or prosecuted for possessing small amounts. — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possessing
  1. owning
  2. having
  3. retaining
  4. enjoying
Verb
  • Too many brands exhaust their marketing budgets fighting for attention during the primary event when real power lies in owning the transitional micro-moment immediately following exertion.
    — Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
  • For Moore, opening her own shop was never simply about owning a business.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of owning
Verb
  • Sometimes layovers can be in different countries than your destination, or your flight could get rerouted for some reason, so having your back covered for every country is helpful.
    — Hayley Domin, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Elaine Rossi, a part-time nanny for the Clancy family, said Lindsay Clancy told her about having postpartum issues.
    — Andi Babineau, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of having
Verb
  • Both aircraft use Jaunt’s Slowed-Rotor Compound configuration, which shifts more lift to the wing during forward flight to improve cruise efficiency while retaining vertical takeoff and landing capability.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Alabama, meanwhile, remains a persistent outlier, retaining the highest relative fatality burden even when normalized against population size, indicating that exposure alone does not fully account for its placement in the distribution.
    — Matthew MacConnell, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of retaining
Verb
  • For the grand finale of her tropical celebration, the Academy Award-winning actress went braless in a head-turning satin slip dress while enjoying the sunset on the sand.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The focus is not only on smaller ships, but also on the ease of unpacking once and visiting multiple destinations, while enjoying the restaurants, spa, service, and design found at a luxury resort.
    — Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of enjoying

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Cite this Entry

“Possessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possessing. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on possessing

Nglish: Translation of possessing for Spanish Speakers

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