impotent

adjective

ˈim-pə-tənt How to pronounce impotent (audio)
Definition of impotentnext
1
as in sterile
not able to produce fruit or offspring most mules are impotent

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in helpless
unable to act or achieve one's purpose an impotent ruler who was just a figurehead

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of impotent Decadence is the vanity of bodybuilders made impotent by steroids. — Olivia Kan-Sperling, Artforum, 2 May 2026 The Iranian regime is being rendered impotent. — FOXNews.com, 19 Mar. 2026 Even in places that offer highly advanced health care, doctors have felt impotent trying to undo the damage when these horrors return. — Patricia Callahan, ProPublica, 19 Mar. 2026 This unsettling thriller about impotent (emotionally, literally) university professor Ali (Turkish star Ekin Koç), on the path to vengeance after the suspicious death of his mother, scored strong reviews (including my own) and the World Cinema Directing Award out of the Utah festival. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 14 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for impotent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impotent
  1. sterile
  2. helpless
  3. barren
  4. paralyzed
  5. weak
Adjective
  • Asha Indoor/Outdoor Area Rug If your patio is feeling sterile, layering in accents like an outdoor rug is the key to achieving a cozier vibe.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The sterile design didn’t have seats and encouraged people to order strictly via its mobile app.
    — Jordan Valinsky, CNN Money, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of sterile
Adjective
  • If a guy who was seven for 66 in the last two postseasons and was so helpless last year that he was benched for the last three games of the World Series … if that guy can drive in the winning run from the bottom of the order?
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The law distinguishes that from being physically helpless or incapacitated by drugs administered without consent.
    — Hallie Golden, Chicago Tribune, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of helpless
Adjective
  • Pollinators and birds have found a welcoming haven here, is a spot that was previously barren, rocky ground.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The 80-kilometer stretch between Abu Dhabi and Dubai — a barren expanse of farms, factories, warehouses, and not much else — is now drawing multibillion-dollar property projects.
    — Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of barren
Adjective
  • The story follows Lowen, a struggling writer hired to complete the book series of renowned author Verity Crawford after an accident leaves Verity paralyzed and unable to communicate.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The injuries left her paralyzed from the waist down after jumping from a second-story window.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of paralyzed
Adjective
  • The makeup is top-tier, the Aaliyah swoop bang is swooping, and the jewelry accents stand out without doing too much, which is usually her weak spot.
    — Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Brennan's maiden win came at the 2025 Bank of Utah Championship in November against an admittedly weaker field.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of weak

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impotency
impotent
impotently
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Cite this Entry

“Impotent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impotent. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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