Meaning & use
powerlessness
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Meaning
noununcountable
The state of having no ability to control events or influence a situation.
Grammar: No plural and no article: a sense of powerlessness.
Patterns
- powerlessness in the face of something
- a sense of powerlessness
Watching the flood rise, the villagers felt a deep powerlessness.
Many workers describe a sense of powerlessness when the company makes decisions without asking them.
His powerlessness to help his friend made him miserable.
Common combinations
- a sense of powerlessness
- There was a sense of powerlessness in the room.
- feel powerlessness
- Patients sometimes feel powerlessness when facing illness.
- powerlessness in the face of
- She felt powerlessness in the face of such cruelty.
- overcome powerlessness
- The group helped members overcome their powerlessness.
- feelings of powerlessness
- Feelings of powerlessness can lead to depression.
Synonyms and how they differ
- helplessness
- Helplessness is more personal and emotional, as when someone cannot help themselves, while powerlessness stresses lacking control or authority.
- impotence
- Impotence is more formal and can carry a medical meaning, so powerlessness is safer in general use.
- weakness
- Weakness is about lacking strength, whereas powerlessness is about lacking control in a particular situation.
- vulnerability
- Vulnerability means being open to harm, not necessarily being unable to act.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: powerlessness or powerfulness?
powerlessness vs powerfulness
Powerfulness is rare. The usual noun for being powerful is power.
Practice
Waiting for news after the accident, she was overcome by a feeling of ______.
Choose one answer.
Powerlessness fits a situation where she cannot change the outcome. Confidence would not follow such helplessness.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “powerlessness”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.