possess
Americanverb (used with object)
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possesses,
present (3rd person singular)
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possessed,
past participle, past
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possessing
present participle
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to have as belonging to one; have as property; own.
to possess a house and a car.
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to have as a faculty, quality, or the like.
to possess courage.
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(of a spirit, especially an evil one) to occupy, dominate, or control (a person) from within.
He thought he was possessed by devils.
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(of a feeling, idea, etc.) to dominate or actuate in the manner of such a spirit.
He was possessed by envy.
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(of a man) to succeed in having sexual intercourse with.
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to have knowledge of.
to possess a language.
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to keep or maintain (oneself, one's mind, etc.) in a certain state, as of peace, patience, etc.
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to maintain control over (oneself, one's mind, etc.).
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to impart to; inform; familiarize (often followed by of orwith ).
to possess someone of the facts of the case.
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to cause to be dominated or influenced, as by an idea, feeling, etc.
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to make (someone) owner, holder, or master, as of property, information, etc..
He possessed them of the facts.
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to seize or take.
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to gain or win.
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to occupy or hold.
verb
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to have as one's property; own
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to have as a quality, faculty, characteristic, etc
to possess good eyesight
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to have knowledge or mastery of
to possess a little French
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to gain control over or dominate
whatever possessed you to act so foolishly?
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(foll by of) to cause to be the owner or possessor
I am possessed of the necessary information
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(often foll by with) to cause to be influenced or dominated (by)
the news possessed him with anger
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to have sexual intercourse with
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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
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archaic to gain or seize
Synonym Usage
See have.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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possesssimple
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possessessimple
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have possessedperfect
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has possessedperfect
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am possessingprogressive
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are possessingprogressive
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is possessingprogressive
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have been possessingperfect progressive
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has been possessingperfect progressive
Past
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possessedsimple
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had possessedperfect
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was possessingprogressive
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were possessingprogressive
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had been possessingperfect progressive
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."
Vocabulary lists containing possess
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 6
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Christmas Carol Vocab: A Lyrical Lexicon
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The New SAT: The Language of the Test
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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.
See Examples For:
I am not here to debate the merits of Hong’s assertion, mostly because I don’t really possess the hoity-toity intellectual hardware to do so.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026
More precise measurements from upcoming observatories and cosmic surveys could help scientists determine which hidden interactions dark matter might possess and which possibilities observations can rule out.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 2, 2026
Apparently, when it comes to shreds and zest, I possess the object permanence of a baby.
From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026
They said they did not even possess pellet guns.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
It’s clear to him that the invaders possess “scientific knowledge far in advance of our own.”
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
Rhea Seehorn possesses what Vince Gilligan calls “Jumbotron face.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026
Although the agency possesses broad authority to issue market-monitoring requests, these lenders generally fall below its $10 billion supervisory threshold and therefore are not ordinarily subject to this level of scrutiny.
From Slate ● Aug. 4, 2026
Another reason she might be withholding guidance is that she possesses some narcissistic tendencies, Smith says.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
"We have executed multiple successful operations across combatant commands while ensuring the US military possesses a deep arsenal of capabilities to protect our people and our interests," he said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026
Tonni, who possesses the humor of a clenched fist, stiffens noticeably.
From "The Misfits" by James Howe
What on Earth possessed Nolan, a notoriously detail-oriented director, to tap the all-purpose flour of movie stars to portray one of the most storied heroes in literature?
From Salon ● Aug. 2, 2026
Despite a total population of just over six million people, the Baltic states possessed around 33,000 startups last year, according to data from Lursoft IT, a Latvian company specialising in business and financial databases.
From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026
More importantly, Curiosity has transformed scientists' understanding of ancient Mars by showing that the planet once possessed water, useful chemistry, and nutrients that could have supported microbial life.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 1, 2026
The FBI was shown to have possessed the same data for 10 months.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Perhaps each division possessed information that would be helpful to the others.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
How did Great Britain, possessing both an empire on which the sun never set and the greatest navy the world had ever seen, lose to ragamuffin American rebels?
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
The government did not allege that he was intoxicated while possessing the firearm, that he was addicted to marijuana, that he had ever threatened anyone, or that his gun ownership had resulted in any danger.
From Slate ● Jun. 26, 2026
At 82, he sits with perfect posture, possessing an elegance that transcends our threadbare surroundings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
OutKick — the Fox-affiliated sports site — breathlessly covered the octagon girls’ new red, white and blue outfits, describing them as possessing “American glamour.”
From Salon ● Jun. 15, 2026
He felt glum; his offering, possessing the quality of an authentic old pre-war ritual, had not been accepted.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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.
