possession

1
as in hands
the fact or state of having (something) at one's disposal a student who was found to have several overdue library books in his possession

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2
3
as in occupancy
the act or fact of residing in a place squatters had established possession in the abandoned warehouse

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 possession Whoever has possession of the bag is responsible for supplying snacks, essentials and anything else a teammate might need in the bullpen. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2025 That’s why military medals like Purple Hearts sometimes end up in the office’s possession. Molly Morrow, Chicago Tribune, 12 June 2025 These are possessions during the last 30 seconds of regulation or the last 30 seconds of overtime when the offensive team is either tied or trailing by three points or fewer. Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 12 June 2025 Two people are federally charged with possession of machine guns after gun violence at high school graduations in the Twin Cities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Minnesota announced Wednesday. Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 12 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for possession
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possession
Noun
  • The hotel occupancy rate rate in April was 84.5%, down slightly from 85.5% in April of 2024.
    Andres Gutierrez, CBS News, 30 May 2025
  • Balboa Park’s parking lots reach high occupancy levels during peak periods, and charging for parking could encourage turnover and improve accessibility.
    Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 May 2025
Noun
  • Putting in the attention and care to help plants establish in their first year or two in the landscape will reward you with many years of enjoyment to come.
    Heather Zidack, Hartford Courant, 7 June 2025
  • Residents named in the lawsuit say that the drones hovering above their homes have resulted in ongoing privacy concerns and a loss of enjoyment of their property.
    Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • The challenge has always been to figure out how to personalize things without spending inordinate amounts of time and money mapping out every possible path a student might take.
    Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
  • As a business owner, higher profit margins, all other things being equal, are more valuable.
    Bill Stone, Forbes, 28 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Khalil is not accused of participating in the building occupation and wasn’t among the people arrested in connection with the demonstrations.
    Jake Offenhartz, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2025
  • During the brief Italian occupation of the Dodecanese Islands, Benito Mussolini used the castle as a holiday home.
    CNN.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • Thankfully, Keller’s scripts aren’t as twee or didactic about this stuff as Lasso and Shrinking creator Bill Lawrence’s tend to be.
    Judy Berman, Time, 4 June 2025
  • Even with diminished stuff, he’s found ways to get hitters out, so why should this time be any different?
    Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
Noun
  • On May 7, Gardner city officials declared the near 200-unit complex at 101 Aspen St. unfit for habitation because the deteriorating water infrastructure left tenants with unreliable and inconsistent water service.
    Taylor O’Connor, Kansas City Star, 22 May 2025
  • Alaska’s vast wilderness has been a testing ground of human endurance for millennia as the gateway for human habitation of the Americas.
    Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Possession.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possession. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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