possessing

Definition of possessingnext
present participle of possess

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of possessing Federal prosecutors on Thursday charged Medina-Medina with illegally possessing a firearm, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 3 Apr. 2026 Josh Duggar is currently serving a more than 12-year prison sentence for downloading and possessing child pornography in a separate case. Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2026 He had been released to home detention and was barred from possessing a firearm at the time of the alleged January kidnapping and robbery. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026 Elders, 65, faces charges including use of a weapon of mass destruction, manufacturing destructive devices and possessing those devices and explosives after felony convictions. ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026 The priest escapes from the mestizo and returns to the capital city, where he is caught by the police for possessing brandy and jailed. Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Apr. 2026 Two men have been indicted on federal charges of possessing guns in a school zone, though the case stems from a shootout across the street from an elementary school, in a liquor store parking lot, court records show. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2026 Joseph's brother, Josh Duggar, is currently serving a 12-year prison sentence after being convicted of possessing child pornography in 2021. Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026 During the search of his home, prosecutors say Glapinski admitted to investigators to viewing, receiving and possessing child pornography. Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possessing
Verb
  • In a court filing, the FCC has defended the Media Bureau approval, as well as its decision to grant Nexstar a waiver from a media ownership cap that limits any one entity from owning stations covering more than 39% of the country.
    Ted Johnson, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Together, these moves (along with owning a Popeyes restaurant franchise) show Megan’s ability to seamlessly blend music, branding, and pop culture into moments that capture attention, drive conversation…plus sales.
    Datwon Thomas, VIBE.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Parents love having an easy, reusable activity for restaurants, travel days, sleepovers or quiet time at home.
    Tory Johnson, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
  • Blue Owl, which is unique in having two of these nontraded private credit funds, is also among the last to report redemptions.
    Leslie Picker, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Rather than simply buying the house, Gores traded a portfolio of Los Angeles–area assets, including undeveloped land in Bel Air, while retaining a financial interest in some of those properties, consolidating multiple holdings into a single trophy estate.
    Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 3 Apr. 2026
  • Only 2200 of them remain, having staved off swells of economic uncertainty, retaining their Irish accents and ways of life.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Josh gets to sit back, relax and focus on being a dad while enjoying the fleeting moments of high school ball before Michaela heads to college.
    Charles Baggarly April 2, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Apr. 2026
  • These are the public spaces that guests mill about in—sipping a berry cooler at the long bar, enjoying a glass of malbec and a read by the stove, or playing monopoly at the communal table.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Possessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possessing. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.

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