powerless
adjective
pow·er·less
ˈpau̇(-ə)r-ləs 
1
: devoid of strength or resources
powerless victims
2
: lacking the authority or capacity to act
was powerless to help
powerlessly
adverb
powerlessness
noun
Examples of powerless in a Sentence
I wish I could help you, but I am powerless in this situation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Social media has theoretically given every fan a voice, but in reality supporters have never been so powerless.
—
Nick Miller, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
In the late 1830s, as a devastating financial crisis bankrupted antislavery societies across the North, the movement seemed splintered and powerless to keep up its petition pressure campaign.
—Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Even under the 1995 framework, regulators are not powerless.
—Lenwood V. Long, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Weightlifting was an antidote to feeling powerless.
—Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for powerless
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Nick Miller, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
In the late 1830s, as a devastating financial crisis bankrupted antislavery societies across the North, the movement seemed splintered and powerless to keep up its petition pressure campaign.
—Time, 24 Sep. 2025
Even under the 1995 framework, regulators are not powerless.
—Lenwood V. Long, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Weightlifting was an antidote to feeling powerless.
—Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for powerless
Cite this Entry
“Powerless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/powerless. Accessed 26 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
powerless
adjective
pow·er·less
ˈpau̇(-ə)r-ləs
1
: lacking power, force, or energy
2
: lacking authority to act
powerlessly
adverb
powerlessness
noun
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