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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in belongings
possessions plural
transportable items that one owns
we packed up all of our possessions and excitedly moved into a new house
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in occupancy
the act or fact of residing in a place
squatters had established possession in the abandoned warehouse
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of possession
That’s what happened in November 2020 after police charged a 20-year-old man in Tyler with possession of a marijuana derivative and he was held on a $1,500 bail.
—
Tony Plohetski, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Harris was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2025
On more than one occasion, defender Jarrad Branthwaite stopped in possession and questioned why there was not more movement in front of him.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 21 July 2025
Last year, the Red Sox entered the break on a high note, in possession of one of the American League’s three wild cards, then opened the second half of the season by getting swept by the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for possession
Tony Plohetski, Austin American Statesman, 30 July 2025
Harris was also charged with criminal possession of a weapon.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2025
On more than one occasion, defender Jarrad Branthwaite stopped in possession and questioned why there was not more movement in front of him.
—Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 21 July 2025
Last year, the Red Sox entered the break on a high note, in possession of one of the American League’s three wild cards, then opened the second half of the season by getting swept by the Dodgers in Los Angeles.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 20 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for possession
Recent Examples of Synonyms for possession
Noun
-
Locations with 85% or higher occupancy rates will incur a $50 premium fee per night.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
28 July 2025
-
When the pandemic shifted work patterns and economic conditions tightened, occupancy rates plummeted from 72% in 2019 to 47% in 2021, but WeWork remained locked into billions in lease payments.—
Tima Bansal,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
Beyond cleanliness, a comfortable bed, and attentive service, the quality of coffee served can make or break a guest’s enjoyment of their hotel or resort stay.—
Irene S. Levine,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
-
Pleasure of enjoyment, pleasure of discovery, pleasure of being challenged.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
11 July 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
-
However, blue-collar professionals, many of whom do physical work either with people or machines, were the least likely to be seeking help from AI, and were therefore classified as the occupations least impacted by AI.—
Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
31 July 2025
-
For occupations on the service agreement, the woman listed Washington Regional for her and Hiland Dairy for him.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
This is often best for items like baby clothing and toys—especially since babies outgrow this stuff at lightning speed, and your parent friends will want to pass this stuff along and get it out of their homes.—
Wendy Wisner,
Parents,
22 July 2025
-
That’s a lot of crazy stuff happening beneath the water.—
Sheryl De Vore,
Chicago Tribune,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
Due to climate change, the Northeast will be one of the few parts of the US that will have a climate suitable for many kinds of agriculture and for human habitation.—
Kip Kolesinskas,
Hartford Courant,
11 July 2025
-
Meanwhile, the prospect that asteroid orbits may be deliberately changed for research and mining, or in the future, by habitation, has gained the attention of a student team from Imperial College London, the University of Santiago de Compostela and Cairo University.—
Leonard David,
Space.com,
12 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Possession.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/possession. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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