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
In the milliseconds before a collision, truck drivers are often powerless to avert disaster.
—
Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
The Brewers had their own ace to play, though, and the Boston bats looked powerless against Jacob Misiorowski in the early innings.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Local leaders are not powerless.
—Russell Hancock, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
Tethered to a drug that kept him alive, but powerless.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for powerless
Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
The Brewers had their own ace to play, though, and the Boston bats looked powerless against Jacob Misiorowski in the early innings.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 8 Apr. 2026
Local leaders are not powerless.
—Russell Hancock, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2026
Tethered to a drug that kept him alive, but powerless.
—Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for powerless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for powerless
Adjective
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Punk appeared helpless as Reigns picked him up.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
20 Apr. 2026
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The show’s name referred to their self-identification as helpless babies overwhelmed by the pressures of modernity, comforted only by coating themselves in fancy serums and moisturizers to recreate the peaceful, placental insulation of the womb.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Now at 21, Lucy’s family is helping her rebuild after the spinal stroke left her paralyzed from the neck down.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
23 Apr. 2026
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After colliding with a car that ended up in her racing path on Sunday, she's been left paralyzed from the neck down.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Viel made a weak pass that led to the goal but had a strong hit on McDavid in the opening 20 minutes as well.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
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With the uncertainty caused by the war with Iran, the price of oil going through the roof, and tariffs complicating company supply chains, analysts expected the labor market to get weaker.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Powerless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/powerless. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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