POSSESS Synonyms: 34 Similar and Opposite Words

possess

verb

pə-ˈzes

Definition of possess

as in to have

to keep, control, or experience as one's own she possesses a keen insight into people

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 possess There’s something within Cathy that Charles senses within himself, some capacity for darkness Adam doesn’t naturally possess. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026 Step around, and potentially inside, awe-inspiring vehicles from the film, or come face-to-face with the Bene Gesserit, a group of priestesses who possess, among other things, the ability to bend the will of others. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026 Trump already possesses a Nobel medal, just not one awarded to him. — ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026 The Tennessee man accused of killing a Kentucky state trooper was on probation and already wanted for a violation, with a criminal record that included assault, fraud and illegally possessing a gun. — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for possess

Recent Examples of Synonyms for possess

Verb

Only about a dozen countries have active programs, including small Caribbean island states.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
But Todd Field inhabited that world, and allowed the audience to do so, in a way that no previous director had.

— Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of have

Verb

In that world, humans might retain (for a while) a desire to acknowledge the role of AI in those discoveries, even bestowing previously human-only awards upon the responsible AI agents.

— Jeffrey S. Flier, STAT, 5 Oct. 2026
Jamal, who co-founded the Somali Justice Advocacy Center, which helps immigrants find pro bono attorneys, also helped retain a lawyer for the Somali teenager charged with piracy in the infamous Captain Richard Phillips hostage-taking.

— Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of retain

Verb

Homegrown chip design firm SkyeChip also enjoyed a blockbuster IPO on the Bursa Malaysia stock exchange in May, surging 300% on its main market debut.

— Angelica Ang, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026
Fans of modernist architecture will find much else to enjoy, too – not least in Ibirapuera Park, with its striking array of mid-century buildings by Oscar Niemeyer, including the pavilion that now houses the superb Museu Afro Brasil.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of enjoy

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posses

possess

possessed

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Style

“Possess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possess. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of possess

verb

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