possess Definition
- 1have as belonging to one; own
- 2have as a characteristic, attribute, or quality
- 3dominate the thoughts, feelings, or desires of (someone); preoccupy
Using possess: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "possess" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He possesses a large collection of rare books.
Example
The painting possesses a certain charm that draws people in.
Example
The idea of traveling the world possessed her mind for years.
possess Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with possess
Example
She took a deep breath and tried to possess herself before giving the presentation.
Example
He was possessed by a desire to succeed at all costs.
a pronoun that shows ownership or possession, such as 'mine', 'yours', 'his', 'hers', 'theirs'
Example
In the sentence 'This is my book', 'my' is a possessive pronoun.
Origins of possess
from Old French 'possesser', from Latin 'possidere', from 'potis' meaning 'able' + 'sedere' meaning 'to sit'
Summary: possess in Brief
To 'possess' [pəˈzes] something means to have it as belonging to oneself, either as an object or a characteristic. It can also mean to dominate someone's thoughts or feelings. Examples include 'He possesses a large collection of rare books' and 'The idea of traveling the world possessed her mind for years.' Phrases include 'possess oneself,' meaning to regain composure, and 'be possessed by,' meaning to be strongly influenced by a feeling or idea.