Word family noun power superpower powerlessness empowerment adjective powerful ≠ powerless overpowering power powered verb power empower overpower adverb powerfully ≠ powerlessly overpoweringly
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishpowerlesspow‧er‧less /ˈpaʊələs $ ˈpaʊr-/ ●○○ adjective POWERunable to stop or control something because you do not have the power, strength, or legal right to do so → powerful He felt so powerless.powerless to do something Local police were powerless to stop them doing it again.powerless against The villagers were powerless against the rising flood water. —powerlessly adverb —powerlessness noun [uncountable] a sense of frustration and powerlessnessExamples from the Corpus
powerless• The Madiatma was a symbol of strength to a nation that felt powerless.• Blocked by the Democrats in the Senate, Bush appeared powerless.• Only calamity and desolation awaited this continent, and he felt almost powerless against the evils.• Citizens imprisoned for their political beliefs are powerless against the government.• The people of Hungary were powerless against the tanks of the Red Army.• Ewing suggests that young killers often vent their rage on a smaller victim because they are powerless against their adult abusers.• Each side generates a discourse that is powerless and almost meaningless in the linguistic world of the other.• The average citizen feels completely powerless faced with the rising tide of crime and violence.• Although we all thought the decision was unfair, we were powerless to change it.• Now, though, she was even powerless to move, although he did not attempt to draw her against him.• Shy but cordial friendships were struck up, which Mrs Thomlinson was powerless to prevent or subvert.• The UN was powerless to prevent the war spreading.• It just hits you like some spiteful virus and down you go, knowing it's crazy but powerless to resist.• He has been virtually powerless to stop franchise-hopping.powerless against• Smith was powerless against office gossip. 