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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

Vocabulary lists containing possess

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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:

possess possesses possessed possessing

In a study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, researchers found that a wide range of animals, including marine worms, starfish, earthworms, and other terrestrial species, possess enzymes that can degrade microbial PHAs.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 17, 2026

The decision reflects internal findings that the upcoming “Astra” model may possess “critical cyber capabilities” and follows a string of AI-testing incidents.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Japan's constitution renounces offensive military force, and successive governments have maintained a decades-old pledge not to possess nuclear weapons, produce them or permit their introduction into the country.

From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026

Even allowing for his decline last season, few players arriving in Turkey possess anything close to Salah's pedigree.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

And speaking of “traveler,” what other weapons did the Russians possess that might be able to voyage here to the US?

From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson

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

"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

Etna also possesses a traumatized sadness and wisdom familiar from conventional war fiction.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

“She’s an illusionist. If she possesses any other kind of magic in addition to this, such as what’s necessary to create hybrids, it remains to be seen.”

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

At one time, according to the police, he had possessed permits for nine guns, but in recent years had reduced that to just one.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

By Hector Berlioz writing of a possessed piano that plays itself, or by Kim Stanley Robinson’s fictional “Holywelkin’s Orchestra,” which turns mere thought into musical reality?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

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

She possessed approximately half the number of teeth that one might expect to see in a person’s mouth.

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

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

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

While body armor is legal for most Americans to own, felons with a history of violence are barred from possessing it.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 30, 2026

Yasmin, an American-Iranian whose name we have also changed, has told the BBC a male member of her family has been arrested in Iran and accused of espionage for possessing a Starlink terminal.

From BBC ● May 2, 2026

What Hamilton seemed to see in Burr, then, was a man very much like himself in several respects: ambitious, energetic, possessing an instinctive strategic antenna and a willingness to take political risks.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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