as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
claims that such restrictions on military interventions on foreign soil would render the nation an impuissant giant on the world stage
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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 impuissant
The failsafe option of fake news Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the impuissant opposition, settled down in a comfortable chair, and readied himself for his regular, televised roasting.
—
Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
The failsafe option of fake news
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the impuissant opposition, settled down in a comfortable chair, and readied himself for his regular, televised roasting.
—Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
The failsafe option of fake news
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the impuissant opposition, settled down in a comfortable chair, and readied himself for his regular, televised roasting.
—Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impuissant
Adjective
-
Elizabeth Taylor felt helpless learning a close friend's fate along with the world.Angela Andaloro, People.com, 19 Oct. 2024
-
Zimbardo spent the rest of his career promoting his theory that humans are helpless against the evil that lies in wait within us to be triggered by circumstance.Judy Berman, TIME, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
-
Despite the prime minister’s assurances, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a U.N. official said the government remains paralyzed.Sarah el Deeb, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
-
There was the woman who came to every meeting combative and quick-tempered (fight), the one who broke down in tears at every one-on-one and eventually took extended leave (flight), and the one who seemed paralyzed by the sheer volume of work (freeze).Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Capasa noted that a negative third quarter impacted by weak internal demand, the slowdown of purchases from Chinese customers and overall geopolitical instability kept worsening the cautious scenario already registered in the first half of the year.Sandra Salibian, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024
-
Scene-to-scene continuity is typically weak and telling.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
When our unused fields are high and dry and the neighbors next to them are underwater, that’s a problem.Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 31 July 2024
-
But her wife ended up leaving her and left her high and dry.KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024
Adjective
-
The case was suspended earlier this year because the aging McCarrick was deemed incompetent to stand for trial.Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | Robert Herguth, Chicago Sun-Times, Journal Sentinel, 12 Dec. 2024
-
Trump's nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, is saying that women are incompetent and that their presence in the military causes love triangles and drama.Tonya Mosley, NPR, 25 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near impuissant
Cite this Entry
“Impuissant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impuissant. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share