as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
claims that such restrictions on military interventions on foreign soil would render the nation an impuissant giant on the world stage
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Recent Examples of impuissant
The failsafe option of fake news Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the impuissant opposition, settled down in a comfortable chair, and readied himself for his regular, televised roasting.
—
Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
The failsafe option of fake news
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the impuissant opposition, settled down in a comfortable chair, and readied himself for his regular, televised roasting.
—Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
The failsafe option of fake news
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the impuissant opposition, settled down in a comfortable chair, and readied himself for his regular, televised roasting.
—Isobel Thompson, The Hive, 5 Apr. 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impuissant
Adjective
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Abuse survivors can feel helpless trying to escape perpetrators or avoid being found and stalked when the safeguards in place are repeatedly violated, experts said, as in Lisa’s case.—
Angie DiMichele,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Mar. 2025
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Now, with the help of their dad’s right-hand woman Lucky (Poorna Jagannathan), the helpless brothers must assume the position as co-heads of his drug cartel.—
Max Gao,
NBC News,
5 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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It's used for amputees, paralyzed drivers and those suffering from hip displacement issues.—
Swish Goswami,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
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Two people have been convicted on conspiracy and murder charges for their role in a triple shooting in Hartford in 2021 that left one man dead, another paralyzed and a third victim injured.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As the market sell-off gains steam, a handful of quality stocks could outperform and buck the broader weak trend for equities, according to Bernstein.—
Brian Evans,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2025
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Many offensive cyber firms set up shop in countries with weak regulations, providing hacking tools and services to buyers worldwide.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes,
11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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How much longer will the Navy be left high and dry?—
Jennifer Zhan,
Vulture,
22 Feb. 2025
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But unions pushed back, warning employees that there was no precedent for such a move and that people who accepted it could be left high and dry.—
Cheyenne Haslett,
ABC News,
20 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Long Bright River, whose eight-episode season will stream in full on March 13, is neither a transcendent nor an incompetent example of this type of show.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
12 Mar. 2025
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Of course, people love making memes that portray their political adversaries as hapless and incompetent.—
Ali Breland,
The Atlantic,
8 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Impuissant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impuissant. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
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