as in inability
the lack of sufficient ability, power, or means
the congressional committee's essential impotence in affecting the management of the war was frustrating to its members
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Recent Examples of impotence
The new procedures that will have AI determine their prior authorization decisions include nerve stimulation, steroid injections for pain management, cervical fusion, knee surgery, impotence treatment and some skin substitutes.
—
Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
The bulk of Jack’s patents were for medical devices, among them a knife used for hair transplants and a prosthetic device for overcoming male impotence.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
That’s one full game of brilliance, and another full game of impotence.
—Zach Berman, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
That there is impotence and cancer and infidelity and vanity and loss.
—Lyz Lenz, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impotence
Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2025
The bulk of Jack’s patents were for medical devices, among them a knife used for hair transplants and a prosthetic device for overcoming male impotence.
—Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2025
That’s one full game of brilliance, and another full game of impotence.
—Zach Berman, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
That there is impotence and cancer and infidelity and vanity and loss.
—Lyz Lenz, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impotence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impotence
inability
Noun
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Even when Florida’s lead was insurmountable, Golden was conscious of when to play Rioux because of his inability to keep up with the pace of the game and maintain endurance.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
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The questions go to the heart of the frustration expressed by business leaders such as Sim Tshabalala, Standard Bank’s boss, who warned just this month at Semafor World Economy that South Africa’s anemic economic growth was down to the state’s basic inability to uphold the rule of law.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Impotence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impotence. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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