adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of powerless
Explanation
Powerless means lacking strength, ability, or authority. If nothing you do stops your dog from barking, you're powerless to make her be quiet. A person who doesn't have the power they need to accomplish something can be described as powerless. A flustered substitute teacher is powerless to silence a chattering classroom, and citizens who don't vote are powerless to change their elected representatives in Congress. Power, "strength or vigor," can be traced back to a root meaning "power" or "lord." When you add the suffix -less, or "lacking," you get powerless.
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.
"He's got the file, which still makes me feel uneasy, still constantly having to check back and see if he is uploading the video again. I just feel powerless," Alice said.
From BBC • May 7, 2026
Within seconds, the vehicle was halted off the 60 Freeway exit at Country Village Road, and the suspect was left as powerless as a rodeo calf on its side.
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
Nursing-home esidents, in many or most cases, are completely powerless and often isolated.
From MarketWatch • May 5, 2026
But at the same time, a prolonged shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz may scuttle an optimistic outlook, which central banks may be powerless to offset.
From Barron's • May 1, 2026
Ahmad felt powerless, and he hated the feeling.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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.
