as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
I wish I could help you, but I am powerless in this situation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of powerless
The family is also totally powerless, a toothless organ of the government with parliamentarians drawing up new rules for its future offspring.
—
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
Women weren’t supposed to be powerless anymore, exactly; Katherine owned a rifle and showed her kids how to use a shotgun.
—Alexis Okeowo, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Researchers suggest that often, their natural need for connection with their parents renders the golden child powerless to choose their well-being over the relationship.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
With their men slaughtered, local women in the epic like Briseis are driven to a horrific existence, enslaved by their Greek captors and the killers of their fathers, husbands and brothers—utterly powerless victims of war, subject to the soldiers’ every whim, including rape.
—Literary Hub, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for powerless
Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
Women weren’t supposed to be powerless anymore, exactly; Katherine owned a rifle and showed her kids how to use a shotgun.
—Alexis Okeowo, New Yorker, 16 June 2025
Researchers suggest that often, their natural need for connection with their parents renders the golden child powerless to choose their well-being over the relationship.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025
With their men slaughtered, local women in the epic like Briseis are driven to a horrific existence, enslaved by their Greek captors and the killers of their fathers, husbands and brothers—utterly powerless victims of war, subject to the soldiers’ every whim, including rape.
—Literary Hub, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for powerless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for powerless
Adjective
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But most unforgettable are the fantastic driving sequences and the almost casually riveting performances — with James Taylor making for a perfectly intense (and surprisingly charismatic) lead, an ideal foil for the garrulous, slightly helpless Oates.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
27 June 2025
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The emotional emptiness can feel unbearable, and the practical demands only add to the turmoil, often leaving the surviving spouse feeling lost and helpless.—
David Kudla,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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For Maria, shifting health care policies have left her feeling paralyzed.—
Kff Health News,
Oc Register,
26 June 2025
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Heavenly Ever After After decades of working as a loan shark to support herself and her paralyzed husband, Lee Hae-sook (Kim Hye-ja) dies shortly after his passing and arrives in Heaven.—
Regina Kim,
Forbes.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
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The inference here is that women’s speech is coded as weak and men’s, the direct opposite.—
Megan C. Reynolds,
Time,
27 June 2025
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Total textile and apparel exports declined from $44.4 billion in fiscal year 2022 to $35.8 billion in fiscal year 2024 (ending March 31), due to weak global demand and elevated production costs.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
27 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Powerless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/powerless. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.
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