possessed

American  

[puh-zest] / pəˈzɛst /

adjective

1. 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.

2. self-possessed; poised.

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idioms

1. possessed of, having; possessing.

   He is possessed of intelligence and ambition.

possessed British  

/ pəˈzɛst /

adjective

1. (foll by of) owning or having

2. (usually postpositive) under the influence of a powerful force, such as a spirit or strong emotion

3. a less common word for self-possessed

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Other Word Forms

• nonpossessed adjective
• possessedly adverb
• possessedness noun
• unpossessed adjective

Etymology

Origin of possessed

First recorded in 1525–35; possess + -ed ²

Example Sentences

Organized by the museum’s Rachel Jans, “Eduardo Chillida: Convergence” is a display possessed of a revelatory power far beyond its modest size.

From The Wall Street Journal

Most of the people at the festival weren’t even born when the Egyptian Lover possessed crowds of 10,000 at the L.A.

From Los Angeles Times

What is inarguable is that Shepard possessed iconic beauty, whose “imperfections,” such as the crookedness of his teeth, only added to his allure.

From The Wall Street Journal

No one else in the sport’s recent history has possessed such a knack for driving fans, administrators and executives completely mad.

From The Wall Street Journal

The MGM brass realized, Mr. Eyman writes, that “she possessed something valuable—an electric charge that made an audience sit up and take notice.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• consumed
• enchanted
• haunted