as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
I wish I could help you, but I am powerless in this situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in inability
the lack of sufficient ability, power, or means
cursed his powerlessness to affect the outcome of his friend's life-threatening illness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of powerless
Lenwood V. Long, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Weightlifting was an antidote to feeling powerless.
—Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
Here are some steps to prevent your team from succumbing to the sense of powerlessness associated with the Great Lock-In trend.
—Juliette Han, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for powerless
Adjective
Even under the 1995 framework, regulators are not powerless.
—Lenwood V. Long, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Weightlifting was an antidote to feeling powerless.
—Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
Koestler suggests that a stroke of good fortune, or a vision of the sublime, may evoke a sense of powerlessness — of being rapt, overwhelmed, enraptured, entranced — which overlaps with the helplessness of loss and defeat, and which evokes a similar surrender.
—Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
Here are some steps to prevent your team from succumbing to the sense of powerlessness associated with the Great Lock-In trend.
—Juliette Han, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for powerless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for powerless
Adjective
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This is obvious enough in the contrast between the aggressive takedown in humor and the helpless surrender in tears.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Sep. 2025
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The series also starred Portia de Rossi as the family's layabout daughter, Lindsay; David Cross as her aspiring actor husband, Tobias; Alia Shawkat as their teen daughter, Maeby; Jessica Walter as the family's elitist matriarch, Lucille; and Tony Hale as the dynasty's helpless youngest son, Buster.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In other democracies, such inability to drive through legislation would most likely be met by a confidence vote, perhaps the ousting of the head of the party of government and a general election.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Fifty-five percent of manufacturers in the state said cost increases have been the biggest impact and 32% reported that uncertainty or an inability to plan was the biggest impact.—
Anna Kleiber,
jsonline.com,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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One of the saddest parts of Remember The Titans is when Bertier got into a car accident that left him paralyzed before their last game.—
Jessica Booth,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
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Inside, the wasp provisions its offspring with paralyzed spiders or insects.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Stevenson has become more intentional with his efforts to understand offensive concepts and routes and the ways opposing teams often attack his weak spots.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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But this weaker god jumped in without hesitation and was gifted the ability to become Tonatiuh, the sun.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Powerless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/powerless. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.
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