as in inability
the lack of sufficient ability, power, or means
the congressional committee's essential impotence in affecting the management of the war was frustrating to its members
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Recent Examples of impotence
Among the Sambia of Papua New Guinea, a man carrying an infant is said to slacken with impotence.
—
Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
His failure to free 52 American hostages in Iran for more than a year became a microcosm of U.S. impotence.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 2 Jan. 2025
His commentary on the impotence of studios’ diversity initiatives gets at the heart of the problem: there is a wide disparity between those who decide what gets made and the audience of largely working-class people whose time and attention decision-makers rely on for profit.
—Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024
At the moment, Labuschagne's batting is suffering through impotence.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for impotence 
Dan Piepenbring, Harper's Magazine, 30 Mar. 2024
His failure to free 52 American hostages in Iran for more than a year became a microcosm of U.S. impotence.
—Bloomberg Opinion, Twin Cities, 2 Jan. 2025
His commentary on the impotence of studios’ diversity initiatives gets at the heart of the problem: there is a wide disparity between those who decide what gets made and the audience of largely working-class people whose time and attention decision-makers rely on for profit.
—Harper's Magazine, 2 July 2024
At the moment, Labuschagne's batting is suffering through impotence.
—Tim Ellis, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for impotence
Thesaurus Entries Near impotence
Cite this Entry
“Impotence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impotence. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
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