possessed
Americanadjective
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spurred or moved by a strong feeling, madness, or a supernatural power (often followed by by, of, orwith ).
The army fought as if possessed. The village believed her to be possessed of the devil.
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self-possessed; poised.
idioms
adjective
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(foll by of) owning or having
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(usually postpositive) under the influence of a powerful force, such as a spirit or strong emotion
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a less common word for self-possessed
Other Word Forms
- nonpossessed adjective
- possessedly adverb
- possessedness noun
- unpossessed adjective
Etymology
Origin of possessed
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Stalin “possessed both an uncontrollable temper and extraordinary willpower. He was capable of bewildering recklessness and cold-blooded displays of control.”
Aside from the belt, the report does not detail any weapon he possessed.
From Los Angeles Times
She possessed “a winning grace,” “reserve” and “self-control” appropriate for “a soul far above her present calling …” She’d acquired the skills of an entertainer.
From Literature
Still, even if Ms. Spanberger possessed the rhetorical skills of FDR or Reagan, she would look small.
Clara Davis, an influential pediatrician, taught that children possessed innate wisdom, and thus their preferences and cravings were a better guide to what they should eat than the dreary and tyrannical “dosage method.”
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
