1
as in sterile
not able to produce fruit or offspring
most mules are impotent
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
an impotent ruler who was just a figurehead
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of impotent
Yet literature, Garber’s agent of revenge, seems more impotent than ever.
—
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
The Iranian regime is being rendered impotent.
—
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Even in places that offer highly advanced health care, doctors have felt impotent trying to undo the damage when these horrors return.
—
Patricia Callahan,
ProPublica,
19 Mar. 2026
This unsettling thriller about impotent (emotionally, literally) university professor Ali (Turkish star Ekin Koç), on the path to vengeance after the suspicious death of his mother, scored strong reviews (including my own) and the World Cinema Directing Award out of the Utah festival.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impotent
Charlie Tyson,
The Atlantic,
27 Apr. 2026
The Iranian regime is being rendered impotent.
—
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Even in places that offer highly advanced health care, doctors have felt impotent trying to undo the damage when these horrors return.
—
Patricia Callahan,
ProPublica,
19 Mar. 2026
This unsettling thriller about impotent (emotionally, literally) university professor Ali (Turkish star Ekin Koç), on the path to vengeance after the suspicious death of his mother, scored strong reviews (including my own) and the World Cinema Directing Award out of the Utah festival.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impotent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impotent
Adjective
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These conditions had much higher fatality rates in 1776 because Americans had no antibiotics, few vaccines, no understanding of germ theory, no sterile surgical techniques and limited access to hospitals, experts note.
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Officials will begin to release sterile male mosquitoes in Rosemont next week to reduce the spread of Aedes aegypti, a disease-carrying invasive mosquito, the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District announced Wednesday.
Adjective
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The leading interpretation is that Smilodon delivered a single precise bite to the throat or belly, severing something vital in a target that was already helpless.
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Pele controls the ball in the penalty area with his thigh, flips it over the head of the defender and smashes it past a helpless Kalle Svensson.
Adjective
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The fires eviscerated many of the plants and trees in and around the burn zones, leaving behind barren lots and charred swaths of parkland.
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There are quite a few interesting options this summer, especially compared to last year’s barren goalie landscape that was headlined by veteran backups.
Adjective
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The teen, who was crossing the street at the time, was run over twice by the truck, causing catastrophic injuries that left him paralyzed from the waist down, local ABC affiliate WKBW reported.
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Surely there were those in attendance, and those watching, who conjured horrible thoughts of Patriots receiver Darryl Stingley being left permanently paralyzed from the chest down after taking a vicious hit from the Oakland Raiders’ Jack Tatum during a 1978 preseason game.
Adjective
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Following a year of historically weak hiring in 2025, hiring rebounded this spring.
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In a weak free-agency class, centers Robert Williams III (Portland) and Mark Williams (Phoenix) are already off the market, each reportedly agreeing to return to their current teams.
Cite this Entry
“Impotent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impotent. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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