possession

Definition of possessionnext
1
as in hands
the fact or state of having (something) at one's disposal a student who was found to have several overdue library books in his possession

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2
3
as in occupancy
the act or fact of residing in a place squatters had established possession in the abandoned warehouse

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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 possession States have generally applied Clean Slate to non-violent, low-level offenses like writing a bad check, drug possession or public drunkenness. Eric Levenson, CNN Money, 30 May 2026 Friday’s win kept the Padres (32-24) within 4 ½ games of the Dodgers (37-20) in the NL West and in sole possession of the NL’s top wild-card spot as Arizona (31-25) lost in Seattle. Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2026 Now in the possession of Kelly Kilpatrick (Cherry Jones), Deborah, dragging a complaining Ava with her as a kind of opposite beard, decides to con Kilpatrick and her wife Monica (Leslie Bibb). Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 30 May 2026 The Legacy controlled 56% of the match’s possession prior to intermission, putting two of eight shots on goal. Jeff Rosen, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for possession
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possession
Noun
  • An elixir of citrus-and-honey and a cool towel are pressed into your hands.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
  • In her hands, this truth is giddy rather than gutting.
    Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • Neary’s belongings including fur coats, furniture and jewelry were auctioned later that month, with officials charged admission of 50 cents to prevent overcrowding of the apartment.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
  • The off-duty flight attendant relocated his belongings and went to use the restroom, but Reyes tried to grab the man’s bag off the floor, according to the affidavit.
    Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 2 June 2026
Noun
  • These kinds of systems should automatically respond to occupancy and environmental conditions, maintaining alignment between performance and user needs.
    Emanuel Gana, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
  • The 13-day itinerary starts at $2,544 per person based on double occupancy, including fees and taxes, while the 15-day cruise starts at $2,974.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • Sitting close to Warriors guard and Valkyries superfan Brandin Podziemski, not even 3-2 Giants loss could detract from her enjoyment of a beautiful day by the water.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
  • But for your indoor enjoyment, there are hundreds of varieties to choose from.
    Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 24 May 2026
Noun
  • Jonathan liked to drop in on patients, ask how things were going.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 June 2026
  • Kenny is going through her things and counts 26 black T-shirts.
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 3 June 2026
Noun
  • Based on analysis of artifacts uncovered at the site, a team of Spanish archaeologists believes this may have served as an ancient copper smelting spot, with far more frequent occupation by humans than previously thought.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 1 June 2026
  • An analysis of federal employment data, paired with a deep dive into the flexible work arrangements at one unnamed Fortune 500 tech company, reveals that companies are less likely to hire recent college grads into occupations that can be done remotely.
    Andrea Hsu, NPR, 1 June 2026
Noun
  • Kilian, Winn and Erik Miller all boast above-average stuff, according to FanGraphs’ Stuff+ model.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 30 May 2026
  • So for people who want to go and catch the rodeo, there’s some cool stuff happening there.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 30 May 2026
Noun
  • This consistent habitation, in addition to facilitating ongoing science, has essentially given humanity a lens to see Earth from afar.
    Chelsea Gohd, Space.com, 25 May 2026
  • It will also be used as a test-bed for long-term habitation and preparatory work for permanent bases.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 10 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Possession.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possession. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.

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