Synonyms for
Possessed
Definition
owned or controlled by someone
Synonyms & similar words
Synonyms by register
Formal
Literary
Antonyms
Common collocations
- possessed by a demon
- possessed of great wealth
- possessed of a strong will
- possessed of knowledge
- possessed by a spirit
- possessed by an idea
- possessed of courage
Word family
Usage note
The adjective 'possessed' often implies being controlled by an external force, especially a supernatural one. When used to describe a person's qualities, it suggests they have a strong, almost overwhelming, degree of that quality.
Example sentences
- The demon possessed the young girl.
- The haunted house seemed possessed by spirits.
- The crazy man seemed possessed by a strange energy.
- The artist was possessed by a creative force that couldn't be stopped.
- The football team was possessed with a desire to win.
Quotes
The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful. - Oscar Wilde
The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery.
There is no possession more valuable than a good and faithful friend. - Socrates