possessed
Americanadjective
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spurred or moved by a strong feeling, madness, or a supernatural power (often followed by by, of, orwith ).
The army fought as if possessed. The village believed her to be possessed of the devil.
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self-possessed; poised.
idioms
adjective
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(foll by of) owning or having
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(usually postpositive) under the influence of a powerful force, such as a spirit or strong emotion
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a less common word for self-possessed
Other Word Forms
- nonpossessed adjective
- possessedly adverb
- possessedness noun
- unpossessed adjective
Etymology
Origin of possessed
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.
Helicopters, dog squads and reinforcements from New Zealand were dispatched to help track Freeman, who reportedly possessed strong bushcraft and outdoor survival skills.
From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026
Most have come with Wilson's left foot too, a source of magic akin to the one Bale possessed.
From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026
Choosing a hero from a sample that large is “truly an art, not a science,” Schulman said, but Norman, like Gladden, possessed an “incredible decency and humanity that really makes you just root for them.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026
He possessed the foundational knowledge of Islam without the advanced and independent reasoning – ijtihad – required for an ayatollah.
From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026
His only apparent ambition, like Dave’s, was to be left alone; though, as Buck was afterward to learn, each of them possessed one other and even more vital ambition.
From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
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.
