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:
A United Nations report published last year said that the Houthis possess advanced surveillance mechanisms and technology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
These discussions are thorny largely because there’s no consensus on what consciousness actually is, let alone if technology can possess it.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 24, 2026
The researchers selected this environment because its microorganisms already possess the biological machinery needed to break down complex natural materials.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Diehards might find fault with something or other, but, to quote the author, you’d have to possess a “most forbidding, disagreeable countenance” not to be charmed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026
She was not endowed with, or old enough to possess, such independence of spirit.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
In his enhanced form, Captain Marvel possesses powers such as superhuman strength and speed, heightened intelligence and the ability to wield lightning.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
Phil Foden's magnificent man-of-the-match display in the Champions League against AEK Athens served as a reminder of the prodigious talent that the player still possesses.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
The researchers found that structured light possesses its own topological characteristics, encoded in the arrangement of its polarization.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026
“You are loyal to the leader. You are loyal to the family because you believe it possesses some special quality.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
He decides that his only hope is to be bold—a quality this Harvard man possesses in abundance.
From "Lincoln's Last Days: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever" by Bill O'Reilly
Markle has strongly denied recent allegations that he had possessed images of child abuse, describing them as "sick lies".
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
But he also possessed technical expertise, editing chops and a keen sense of story.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026
No charges have been announced, and investigators have not publicly established that Markle Sr. possessed the alleged material.
From Salon ● Oct. 25, 2026
Using this information, their models could predict with more than 90% accuracy whether an animal possessed soft tissue flippers and whether it had highly or fully aquatic habits.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 25, 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
Deitch describes McGee as possessing “a unique kind of charisma.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Thomas Markle denied possessing child sex images, calling the accusations "sick lies".
From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026
The lower court judge sentenced Beaird to an even heavier sentence than he might otherwise have gotten due to the type of large-capacity firearm the police found him possessing.
From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2026
Receiving the first possession now comes with a different upside: the first crack at possessing the ball again if the two teams are still tied.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026
DeSheim informed the company that he would produce any play they liked, and they sat like frightened mice, possessing no words to make known their vague desires.
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
