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
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.
At the same time, he possessed a sophisticated worldview and a deep grasp of foreign affairs.
From Salon • May 14, 2026
He said the missile could carry a warhead more than four times more powerful than anything Western militaries possessed, adding that Sarmat would be on "combat duty" by the end of this year.
From Barron's • May 12, 2026
They possessed the best scorer in NBA history at the controls of a sizzling offense in a loud arena against a team that had every reason to pack it in.
From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026
Homo juluensis possessed a mix of physical characteristics seen in several ancient human groups.
From Science Daily • May 9, 2026
Back then, when a Colored school needed a teacher, the principal would provide the state’s Colored college with the school’s requirements, and the college would send a list of recent graduates who possessed those qualifications.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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.
