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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Kings County Supreme Court Judge Francois Rivera wrote that Feijoo-Nickell offered no evidence to support her argument in his decision to award D’Angelo possession of the dog. Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 29 Mar. 2026 New York is 8-4 in one-possession games. ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026 The Celtics proceeded to score on their next six possessions to reestablish control. Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 29 Mar. 2026 The inbound pass went out of bounds and Albany was initially ruled to have retained possession. Frank Rajkowski, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for possession
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possession
Noun
  • In the clip, shared by @whit_fashionfinds, footage from inside her living room shows her teen on hands and knees pushing clutter across the floor and underneath the couch.
    Daniella Gray, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Consider setting aside grandiose ambitions for the moment and taking a break to do something active with your hands.
    Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 31 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • With its solid wood construction and rich espresso finish, this unit can support your belongings on its three sturdy shelves.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
  • The situation escalated when one member of the group used profanity while gathering their belongings.
    Darlin Tillery, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In the Chrysler Building’s 96 years of occupancy, exactly two people have managed to pull off the children’s-book fantasy of living there.
    Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Nordseth also argued the city is illegally diverting money collected through a 2% increase in hotel occupancy taxes, approved by voters in 2022.
    Everton Bailey Jr, Dallas Morning News, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Character names fade, plot twists dissolve, but the enjoyment of the moment remains.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Attempts at policing enjoyment led to the suppression of longtime carnival customs.
    Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The Knicks only truly made things interesting in minutes the former Brooklyn Nets star and sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer spent on the bench on Tuesday.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 1 Apr. 2026
  • Upstairs at Place, things are a little more formal.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Israel’s parliament is expected to vote today on a bill that would make the death penalty a default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military court of killing Israelis, a measure that Israel’s European allies say would unfairly target Palestinians under military occupation.
    Charlene Gubash, NBC news, 30 Mar. 2026
  • Hezbollah was founded in 1982 during Lebanon's civil war and initially was devoted to ending Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon.
    CBS News, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The model shop made everything, and all the Xenonite stuff was crafted by them.
    Jeff Spry, Space.com, 28 Mar. 2026
  • That was one of nine strikeouts for Bradley, who showed flashes of the electric stuff that has made the Twins so excited about his future.
    Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 28 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Through the continuous habitation of the International Space Station in low Earth orbit for the past 26 years, scientists have come to better understand the effects of microgravity on the human body.
    Josh Dinner, Space.com, 31 Mar. 2026
  • The United States and China are targeting landing humans on Mars in the 2030s, with the intention of building infrastructure that enables long-term habitation.
    Scott Solomon, The Conversation, 27 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Possession.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possession. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.

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