Synonyms

possess

American

[puh-zes] / pəˈzɛs /

verb (used with object)

to have as belonging to one; have as property; own.

to possess a house and a car.
to have as a faculty, quality, or the like.

to possess courage.
(of a spirit, especially an evil one) to occupy, dominate, or control (a person) from within.

He thought he was possessed by devils.
(of a feeling, idea, etc.) to dominate or actuate in the manner of such a spirit.

He was possessed by envy.
(of a man) to succeed in having sexual intercourse with.
to have knowledge of.

to possess a language.
to keep or maintain (oneself, one's mind, etc.) in a certain state, as of peace, patience, etc.
to maintain control over (oneself, one's mind, etc.).
to impart to; inform; familiarize (often followed by of orwith ).

to possess someone of the facts of the case.
to cause to be dominated or influenced, as by an idea, feeling, etc.
to make (someone) owner, holder, or master, as of property, information, etc..

He possessed them of the facts.
to seize or take.
to gain or win.
to occupy or hold.

possess British

/ pəˈzɛs /

verb

to have as one's property; own
to have as a quality, faculty, characteristic, etc

to possess good eyesight
to have knowledge or mastery of

to possess a little French
to gain control over or dominate

whatever possessed you to act so foolishly?
(foll by of) to cause to be the owner or possessor

I am possessed of the necessary information
(often foll by with) to cause to be influenced or dominated (by)

the news possessed him with anger
to have sexual intercourse with
rare to keep control over or maintain (oneself or one's feelings) in a certain state or condition

possess yourself in patience until I tell you the news
archaic to gain or seize

"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

Synonym Usage

See have.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of possess

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English possesen, from Middle French possess(i)er, noun derived from possession possession

Explanation

To possess something is to have or own it. You can possess a physical object, you can possess a particular quality or skill, or you can possess control or influence over someone. Related words are possessive (describing those who hold onto people or things in a controlling way), and possessed, as in a person being possessed by an idea or even by a demon. This verb is from Middle French posséder "to own," from Latin possidēre, from potis "able, having the power" plus sedēre "to sit."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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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.

Only the largest funds, such as Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital — which possess the war chest to back OpenAI, Anthropic, and SpaceX — stand to gain from their initial public offerings of stock.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2026

He said that AI-driven weapons systems risked lowering the political costs of war for those who possess advanced AI, making “war more ‘feasible’ and less subject to human control.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 6, 2026

She added: "I don't possess the hate and the evil in me to hurt people the way that you do."

From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026

But falling in love at such a formative age allowed us to develop a mutual transparency and radical candor that I’ve learned few people possess, especially with their exes.

From Salon • Jul. 5, 2026

He will not be permitted to enlist in the military, or possess a firearm, or obtain a federal security clearance.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023