possessed
Americanadjective
-
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.
-
self-possessed; poised.
idioms
adjective
-
(foll by of) owning or having
-
(usually postpositive) under the influence of a powerful force, such as a spirit or strong emotion
-
a less common word for self-possessed
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of possessed
Explanation
Someone who's possessed is completely controlled by some force. If you've ever seen a crazed sports fan screaming with joy for the winning team, you've seen a person possessed with team spirit. While possessed is the past tense of the verb possess, to have, it most often describes someone who's obsessed with something. The controlling force can be an emotion, like when your friend is possessed by her infatuation with her favorite pop star. It can also be a supernatural power or demon — possessed describes someone you believe is truly controlled by an evil spirit, or someone who just acts that way.
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.
Jackson has explained that, when he arrived from Senegal, he possessed natural dribbling ability but had much less understanding of how and when to move.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
When Regan cheerfully tells another disturbed child, “I was possessed by a demon. Oh, it’s OK. He’s gone!” ridicule is the correct response.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
Detailed analysis showed that C. praecursor possessed an ovipositor and a terminal caudal filament.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 27, 2026
But it will probably take years for Bronin to acquire the credibility on Social Security that Larson possessed, even assuming that he wishes to do so.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
If the cottonmouths hadn’t been enraged before, they were now, determined to destroy the possessed branch that had just bludgeoned three of their friends.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
