impotence

[ im-puh-tuh ns ]

/ ˈɪm pə təns /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR impotence ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

the condition or quality of being impotent; weakness.

chronic inability to attain or sustain an erection for the performance of a sexual act.

sterility, especially in the male.

Obsolete. lack of self-restraint.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL PART OF SPEECH QUIZ!

How well do you know your adjectives from your adverbs? Your preposition from your pronouns? Your interjections from your conjunctions? Let’s put your knowledge of parts of speech to the text! Note: Many of the following questions will ask you to identify the parts of speech “in order.” That means the first word in all capital letters will correspond to the first option in an answer, and so on.

Question 1 of 10

In order, what parts of speech are the words in all capital letters? Alisa was VERY tired, SO she decided to go to bed.

adverb, adverb

adverb, conjunction

adjective, conjunction

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Also im·po·ten·cy, im·po·tent·ness.

Origin of impotence

1375–1425; late Middle English, variant (see -ence) of impotencie < Latin impotentia want of self-control, weakness. See im-², potency

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH impotence

impetus impotence sterilityimportance impotence (see synonym study at importance)impotence sterility sterilized

Words nearby impotence

impostor, impostor syndrome, impostume, imposture, imposure, impotence, impotent, impound, impoundment, impoverish, impoverished

Example sentences from the Web for impotence

Brinkley explained that despite all the recent advances in medicine, there still was nothing to be done for impotence.
The Strange, True Tale of the Old-Timey Goat Testicle-Implanting 'Governor'|Penny Lane|September 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
That is the height of cynicism, combined with an admission of impotence.
Border Kids Crisis—Impotent Congress|John Avlon|July 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Male infertility was extremely stigmatic: it was falsely conflated with impotence.
Israel’s Sperm Clinic Crisis|Alastair Sloan|March 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
European history also suggests the impotence of criminal law in these matters.
How (Not) to Fight Racism and Anti-Semitism|Jacob Mchangama|February 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST

The reason, Foster argues, is that impotence implies a lack of virility, a lack of manliness.
What the Sex Lives of the Founding Fathers Reveal About Us|Eric Herschthal|February 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Wotan appears, and taunts him with his impotence, telling him meanwhile of Siegfried's speedy arrival.
The Opera|R.A. Streatfeild
The mood of impotence, of dissatisfaction, was on him, and was not to be shaken off.
The Silver Poppy|Arthur Stringer
Another feeling took its place—the crushing sense of his impotence.
The Captain of the Janizaries|James M. Ludlow
The painful sense of his impotence to show his feelings in some way or other made him most unhappy.
The Burning Secret|Stefan Zweig
He lashed at his own impotence, for the ignominy of his position increased with his growing consciousness.
King John of Jingalo|Laurence Housman

Medical definitions for impotence

impotence

[ ĭm′pə-təns ]

n.

The quality or condition of being impotent.

erectile dysfunction

impotence

noun

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL PART OF SPEECH QUIZ!

Origin of impotence

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH impotence

Words nearby impotence

Words related to impotence

Example sentences from the Web for impotence

Medical definitions for impotence

n.