powerless
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
- powerlessly adverb
- powerlessness noun
Etymology
Origin of powerless
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.
“The Afterlife is very protective of its Ushers. If a wandering soul intends to harm us—er, me—they’re powerless.”
From Literature
Iran is being pounded by two powers whose aircraft it is powerless to stop.
They agree to attach their names to “How’s That?!” to lend it legitimacy, and are virtually powerless to affect the plots generated by a program their network has deceptively nicknamed Al.
From Salon
"According to the Quebec government's logic, even in such cases, the courts would not only be powerless but also bound to silence."
From BBC
The Godzilla movies, whether American or Japanese, are metaphors for the ravages of warmongering and the despondence of those powerless to escape its wrath.
From Salon
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.
