POSSESSED Synonyms: 125 Similar and Opposite Words

possessed 1 of 2

adjective

pə-ˈzest

Definition of possessed

as in composed

free from emotional or mental agitation remarkably poised and possessed in the midst of all the turmoil

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

possessed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of possess

as in owned

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

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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 possessed

Adjective

Whether it was penned by Apa or some Brit with possessed hips, the song soon took off. — Brenna Ehrlich, Rolling Stone, 11 May 2026 During the interviews, officers confirmed that 27 of the 28 individuals had either received, sent, possessed or transported child pornography, according to the statement. — Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2026

Verb

Instead, that process was based on a predictable pattern, allowing hackers who possessed a sample seed phrase to use trial-and-error to guess others—and clean out Coldcard owners in the process. — Jeff John Roberts, Fortune, 10 Aug. 2026 Bo possessed a single-mindedness that Lu now wonders might have led to murder. — Hailey Wang, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for possessed

Recent Examples of Synonyms for possessed

Adjective

Barbie’s hair choices, too, are ever so composed and elegant.

— Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 29 July 2026
Replacement Ryunosuke Ito, plucked from Meiji University, had a composed debut, including laying on a try for Matsunaga, who was five for five off the tee.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026

Definition of composed

Verb

Two Jets front-office sources, on condition of anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak publicly, deny that, and Glenn has owned the decisions publicly.

— Jonathan Jones, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Federal investigators are probing whether insurance firms owned by Walter improperly funnelled money to other companies of his.

— Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of owned

Adjective

Data brokers legally comb the internet for such information, build profiles using the collected information, and sell those profiles to anyone who’ll pay.

— Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026
Paired with the Emme play table, this duo creates the kind of collected look that feels professionally layered.

— Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 31 July 2026

Definition of collected

Verb

Adames, who had an MRI on Monday, will miss more than 10 days, though manager Tony Vitello said the team is optimistic the veteran can return before the season ends in late September.

— Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 25 Aug. 2026
Iranian news agency Rokna reported that people in Tehran said some petrol stations had no gas available, forcing them to temporarily close, while other stations had long lines on Monday and Tuesday.

— Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of had

Adjective

But the calm day gave way to terror when her uncle again looked out into the ocean and saw Summer’s head bobbing in and out of the water.

— Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
Silvia looks calm, his eyes open and head propped up slightly as Hood prayed furiously over him.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of calm

Verb

George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich in their own corruption cases, and former Department of Justice criminal chief Brent Wible have also been retained.

— Hannah Meisel, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
Special touches added by Gail have been retained, including an eccentric serpent mosaic based on a design by Frank Zappa himself.

— Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of retained

Adjective

Along with the soon-to-open Oscar de la Renta and other high-end designer shops, Hermès will test shoppers’ willingness to spend high dollar figures at the serene North Shore shopping center.

— Claire Murphy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026
Summary Paros, a serene Cycladic island, is home to Avant Mar, a resort celebrated for its relaxed sophistication, particularly in its diverse food and beverage program.

— Rachel Dube, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of serene

Verb

No problem there; in recent years, Moab has enjoyed a hotel boom, and nearly every in-town lodge has a pool.

— Jamie Siebrase, Denver Post, 20 Aug. 2026
As an indie stalwart in the publicity and marketing space, Cinetic Marketing has long enjoyed making an outsized impact on the movies that make waves out of festivals and during awards season.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of enjoyed

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Style

“Possessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possessed. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of possessed

adjective

verb

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