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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Recent Examples of powerless
Hybrid attacks are a cocktail of destabilization and deniability, unsettling populations and creating an impression of a strong aggressor and a powerless target.
—
Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
Well, powerless is an important word because—Anne.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
But this shift doesn’t leave people powerless.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 2 Mar. 2026
They could be used to intimidate voters, and local officials would be powerless to stop it.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for powerless
Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
Well, powerless is an important word because—Anne.
—Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
But this shift doesn’t leave people powerless.
—Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 2 Mar. 2026
They could be used to intimidate voters, and local officials would be powerless to stop it.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for powerless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for powerless
Adjective
-
The show’s name referred to their self-identification as helpless babies overwhelmed by the pressures of modernity, comforted only by coating themselves in fancy serums and moisturizers to recreate the peaceful, placental insulation of the womb.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
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Then there’s the title character, who at first impression could be a helpless goldfish just waiting for any one of these alley cats to knock over her bowl and swallow her tail and all.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Carey died while trying to rescue a paralyzed elderly man from a house fire.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Apr. 2026
-
China’s leadership has appeared even more paralyzed over the country’s mounting economic woes.—
Michael Schuman,
The Atlantic,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The slide appears to have involved a thick slab of soft snow breaking loose at a weak layer in the snowpack, the report said.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
4 Apr. 2026
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Endowed not only with a privileged birthright but—unlike the actual princes over in England, who had weak chins and went bald young—the physical stature to match?—
Jeffrey Eugenides,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Powerless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/powerless. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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