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
Relevance
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 powerless
And in the same hearing, several senators chastised lottery Executive Director Ryan Mindell for earlier telling lawmakers that his agency was powerless under current state law to regulate, much less prohibit, the couriers that are presently active in 18 other states from doing business in Texas.
—
John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Students often feel powerless in the college process—caught between their interests and external pressures.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Even this partial rollback shows that reformers aren’t powerless.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 17 July 2025
Promising synchronized voting for mayor and presidential is a promise that the commission is powerless to deliver.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for powerless
John C. Moritz, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Students often feel powerless in the college process—caught between their interests and external pressures.
—Sarah Hernholm, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Even this partial rollback shows that reformers aren’t powerless.
—Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 17 July 2025
Promising synchronized voting for mayor and presidential is a promise that the commission is powerless to deliver.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for powerless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for powerless
Adjective
-
Not long after, Brady looked helpless on his final snap as a Patriot, standing at the 1-yard line with nine seconds left because of that maneuver, which Stretch stole from Brady’s head coach and turned against them both.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
7 Aug. 2025
-
As for the Aces, Vegas has lost two in a row and looked helpless last time out, losing 109-78 to the Minnesota Lynx.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 July 2025
Adjective
-
An unchanging body map could be a huge boost for the emerging field of brain-computer interfaces, which can allow a paralyzed person to speak or move a robotic arm.—
Jon Hamilton,
NPR,
27 Aug. 2025
-
That information led the Tribune to a relative, from the Chicago area, who provided the name of a paralyzed uncle who had been injured during WWII.—
Christy Gutowski,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
And if tariffs only cause a one-time jump in prices, weaker purchasing power could slow the economy.—
Raul Elizalde,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Paradise lost Alaska and Crimea remain linked in some ways today, both viewed as historic Russian regions lost by weak leaders – Yeltsin, the first president of independent Russia, is reviled for recognizing Crimea as part of Ukraine after the USSR collapsed.—
Dan Morrison,
USA Today,
14 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Powerless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/powerless. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share