as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose
I wish I could help you, but I am powerless in this situation
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Recent Examples of powerless
About 100 high school students gathered to learn leadership skills and build a sense of identity in a state where Latinos were, at the time, largely powerless.
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Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024
O'Neill noted that if the boat with the 21 migrants had made its way into the harbor and was stopped by the Orange County Sheriff's Department, which patrols the area, local law enforcement would have been powerless to do anything.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024
The Carter administration, in its last days, seemed powerless to save him.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 26 Nov. 2024
Even as the balance struggles deepened, leaving Verstappen, a driver who thrives off confidence in the connection between his inputs and the car on the road, to feel powerless against his rivals at points, the points kept coming in.
—Luke Smith, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for powerless 
Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2024
O'Neill noted that if the boat with the 21 migrants had made its way into the harbor and was stopped by the Orange County Sheriff's Department, which patrols the area, local law enforcement would have been powerless to do anything.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024
The Carter administration, in its last days, seemed powerless to save him.
—Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 26 Nov. 2024
Even as the balance struggles deepened, leaving Verstappen, a driver who thrives off confidence in the connection between his inputs and the car on the road, to feel powerless against his rivals at points, the points kept coming in.
—Luke Smith, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for powerless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for powerless
Adjective
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Elizabeth Taylor felt helpless learning a close friend's fate along with the world.Angela Andaloro, People.com, 19 Oct. 2024
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Zimbardo spent the rest of his career promoting his theory that humans are helpless against the evil that lies in wait within us to be triggered by circumstance.Judy Berman, TIME, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Despite the prime minister’s assurances, some state workers failed to return to their jobs and a U.N. official said the government remains paralyzed.Sarah el Deeb, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
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There was the woman who came to every meeting combative and quick-tempered (fight), the one who broke down in tears at every one-on-one and eventually took extended leave (flight), and the one who seemed paralyzed by the sheer volume of work (freeze).Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Capasa noted that a negative third quarter impacted by weak internal demand, the slowdown of purchases from Chinese customers and overall geopolitical instability kept worsening the cautious scenario already registered in the first half of the year.Sandra Salibian, WWD, 11 Dec. 2024
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Scene-to-scene continuity is typically weak and telling.Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Powerless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/powerless. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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