powerless

adjective
UK: /ˈpaʊərləs/
US: /ˈpaʊərləs/

  1. Without power, strength, or ability to control something.

    1. I felt powerless to stop him from leaving.
    2. The government seemed powerless against the rising crime rates in the city.

  2. Lacking the authority or legal right to do something.

    1. The security guard was powerless to arrest the thief.
    2. As a junior employee, I felt powerless to change company policy.

  3. Not working or functioning; without energy supply.

    1. The city was powerless after the storm.
    2. The computer was powerless because of a power outage in the building.

Synonyms

vulnerable ineffective weak impotent helpless

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "powerless" in English means: Without power, strength, or ability to control something., Lacking the authority or legal right to do something., Not working or functioning; without energy supply..

The phonetic transcription of "powerless" is /ˈpaʊərləs/ in British English and /ˈpaʊərləs/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "powerless": vulnerable, ineffective, weak, impotent, helpless.

Example usage of "powerless": "I felt powerless to stop him from leaving.". More examples on the page.