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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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 But San Jose got possession and Celebrini fired the puck into an open net for the first goal of the game. CBS News, 1 Mar. 2026 Nearby, a law enforcement ranger administered a Breathalyzer to a young parkgoer in possession of a beer. Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 1 Mar. 2026 Arizona is 1-1 in one-possession games. ABC News, 1 Mar. 2026 Much like the previous match against San Jose, Sporting started out strong, establishing long spells of possession that led to dangerous chances. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for possession
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possession
Noun
  • Bill Clinton, with a calmer demeanor and visibly shaking hands, denied having any knowledge of Epstein’s crimes.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Post the performance, the humanoid shook hands with Honor CEO James Li, and also performed a clean backflip that landed flawlessly, leaving the viewers amazed, meeting a ripple of applause across the room.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The belongings included identification and immigration documents, passports, driver’s licenses and work permits as well as cash, cellphones, clothing and jewelry.
    Gary Grumbach, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026
  • The shooter then gathers some belongings and walks back to her car.
    Anna McAllister, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Signed in May 1977, the order mandates that federal agencies avoid, to the extent possible, the long- and short-term adverse impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of floodplains.
    Keith Matheny, Freep.com, 27 Feb. 2026
  • For the Lunar New Year, the company said the top 10 destinations, with hotel occupancy rates of 90% or higher, were all located in southern or coastal cities, including Sanya in the tropical island province of Hainan.
    Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 26 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • So during the warmup skate, before every Canucks game that Myers’ family attends, Garland waves at Tristan and then demonstrates a penalty for Tristan’s enjoyment.
    Thomas Drance, New York Times, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Kaplan himself believes the wine will hold up for 30 years but thinks that maximum enjoyment will be derived from it within five to seven.
    Mike DeSimone, Robb Report, 22 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • And upstairs, rooftop bar High Praise keeps things fresh with rotating pop-ups throughout the year.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Mar. 2026
  • The little things added up Tuesday.
    Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 4 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • One day in August, a CBC crew arrived to mark the first anniversary of the tree-house occupation.
    Robert Moor, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
  • Greece was under Nazi occupation from 1941 until 1944.
    CBS News, CBS News, 2 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The Northeast started the week buried in snow, but thankfully in Chicago our streets stayed clear of the white stuff.
    Grace Miserocchi, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
  • At that same time, Kale and I were drinking too much and probably into some other nasty stuff.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The Social Circle location would be just one of 23 warehouses needing to be converted for human habitation.
    Irene Wright, USA Today, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Thomas was indicted for burglary of a habitation and could face 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
    Ginger Allen, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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