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View synonyms for impotent

impotent

[ im-puh-tuhnt ]

adjective

  1. not potent; lacking power or ability.

    Synonyms: helpless, powerless

  2. utterly unable (to do something).

    Synonyms: helpless, powerless

  3. without force or effectiveness.

    Synonyms: weak, feeble, ineffective, ineffectual

  4. lacking bodily strength or physically helpless.
  5. (of a male) unable to attain or sustain a penile erection.
  6. (especially of a male) sterile.
  7. Obsolete. without restraint.


noun

  1. an impotent person:

    therapy for sexual impotents.

impotent

/ ˈɪmpətənt /

adjective

  1. when postpositive, often takes an infinitive lacking sufficient strength; powerless
  2. (esp of males) unable to perform sexual intercourse See erectile impotence
  3. obsolete.
    lacking self-control; unrestrained


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Derived Forms

  • ˈimpotently, adverb
  • ˈimpotence, noun

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Other Words From

  • impo·tent·ly adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of impotent1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin impotent-, stem of impotēns “without power over oneself or others”; equivalent to im- 2 + potent 1

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Example Sentences

As the protagonist gets herself off in front of her impotent husband, she moans “Oh, Gronky.”

He was prescribed a course of hormone pills that caused him to grow breasts and rendered him impotent.

Of course, what people like Erickson and Sarah Palin want the House to do is impeach Obama, not file an impotent lawsuit.

Chicago is a city imperiled by impotent leadership that is unwilling to face down this crisis.

This is a bad plan, and totally impotent when it comes to preventing daytime break-ins.

As so much time has elapsed since the orders were given, the persons that ordered them are quite impotent.

For the third time she watched a coronet slip through her strong determined impotent fingers.

Hamburg writhed impotent at his feet and the "heavy arm of justice fell on the canaille."

Dine darted after him to box his ears, words being impotent, and Tessa went into the house.

She clasped her thin hands in a frenzy of impotent rage—with Anne Ashton had lain the real triumph, with herself the sacrifice.

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