Dictionary.com

impuissant

[ im-pyoo-uh-suhnt, im-pyoo-is-uhnt, im-pwis-uhnt ]
/ ɪmˈpyu ə sənt, ˌɪm pyuˈɪs ənt, ɪmˈpwɪs ənt /
Save This Word!
See synonyms for impuissant on Thesaurus.com
adjective
lacking strength; feeble; weak.
QUIZ
QUIZ YOURSELF ON AFFECT VS. EFFECT!
In effect, this quiz will prove whether or not you have the skills to know the difference between “affect” and “effect.”
Question 1 of 7
The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
affect
effect
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT
Meet Grammar CoachWrite or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar helpImprove Your Writing
Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing
Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Origin of impuissant

From Middle French, dating back to 1620–30; see origin at im-2, puissant

OTHER WORDS FROM impuissant

im·pu·is·sance, noun

Words nearby impuissant

impsonite, impudence, impudent, impudicity, impugn, impuissant, impulse, impulse buying, impulse control disorder, impulse turbine, impulsion
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to impuissant

helpless, impotent, inadequate, incapable, not able, powerless, sidelined, unfit, weak, anemic, feeble, fragile, frail, hesitant, shaky, sickly, sluggish, uncertain, unsteady, weakened

How to use impuissant in a sentence

  • L'agent revint impuissant vers son collègue, insista encore auprès d'Arsay en finissant par élever la voix.

    Histoires grises|E. Edouard Tavernier

British Dictionary definitions for impuissant

impuissant
/ (ɪmˈpjuːɪsənt, ɪmˈpwiː-) /
adjective
powerless, ineffectual, feeble, or impotent

Derived forms of impuissant

impuissance, noun

Word Origin for impuissant

C17: from French: powerless
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
FEEDBACK