possession

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 Routh has pleaded not guilty to five criminal charges that risk sending him to prison for life, including attempting to kill a presidential candidate and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2025 Then, the Vikings’ defense kept up the pressure on Williams to give McCarthy another chance at the lead with a three-and-out forced on the ensuing possession. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 2025 Teams had been 53-0 since 2000, counting playoffs, when leading by 15 points and taking possession with 8-10 minutes left in regulation, per TruMedia. Mike Sando, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 On the next Browns possession, Joe Flacco’s pass to Jerry Jeudy was deflected into the air by the receiver into the hands of Jordan Battle. Mike Straw, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for possession
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possession
Noun
  • The agents pushed him against a metal fence, put his hands behind his back and twisted his arm, according to the lawsuit.
    Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
  • As the sun was setting, hundreds of North Texans — many clad in black — gathered with candles and posters in their hands and solidarity in their hearts.
    Shambhavi Rimal, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This $8 set comes with four zippered pouches that can separate dirty, wet, or stinky shoes from the rest of your belongings.
    Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 8 Sep. 2025
  • Set up familiar spaces – Arrange furniture and pet belongings in a similar way in the new home to make the transition less jarring.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Standard mortgage documents commonly include an occupancy clause that requires the borrower to use the property as their principal residence for at least a year.
    Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 6 Sep. 2025
  • No notice, just like when the city added several dollars in transient occupancy taxes to every guest bill with virtually no notice on May 1.
    Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • And that robbed the viewing experience of some enjoyment.
    Judy Berman, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
  • In a culture that emphasizes saving face and meeting expectations, students were less motivated by curiosity or enjoyment and more by fear of letting others down.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • If things do go long, Alcaraz will still back himself.
    Charlie Eccleshare, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025
  • But now, the King and the royal family have received very sad news that will change things going forward.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 5 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In fact, as researchers led by MIT economist David Autor have found in examining 80 years of census data, most jobs today are in occupations that that didn’t exist in 1940.
    Jamie Merisotis, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • He was born in the Soviet-occupation zone of Germany in 1945 -- one month before the end of World War II.
    Walter Villa, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Everything about Elvis, including his death-by-cardiac-arrest at 42 in Graceland, is the stuff of opera.
    Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
  • By our points formula, a game in the 10s or below is D-grade, the 20s is average, the 30s above average, the 40s really good and 50s-plus next-stratosphere stuff.
    Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The International Space Station, still in operations today, was begun in 1998, and has led to a 24 year (and counting) unbroken streak of continuous human habitation in space.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025
  • Managing one’s personal reputation used to be a preoccupation mainly for celebrities and PR firms, but Gen Z’s habitation of digital spaces allows their every move (or post) to be scrutinized and judged by their peers.
    Ruth Oh Reitmeier, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Possession.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possession. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.

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