as in inability
the lack of sufficient ability, power, or means
the congressional committee's essential impotence in affecting the management of the war was frustrating to its members
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Recent Examples of impotence
That’s one full game of brilliance, and another full game of impotence.
—
Zach Berman, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
The men surrounding these women try and fail to regain control throughout the film, revealing their impotence.
—Jourdain Searles, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2025
The leaders of every one of those countries will be watching President Trump’s response closely in the face of what appears to be US impotence in the Middle East.
—Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
That there is impotence and cancer and infidelity and vanity and loss.
—Lyz Lenz, Rolling Stone, 16 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for impotence
Recent Examples of Synonyms for impotence
inability
Noun
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Russia and China, though chastened by their inability to protect Venezuela, retain a strong interest in propping up Havana, given Cuba’s location just 90 miles south of Key West.—
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Forster’s novel may have been written in 1913 (and published, posthumously, in 1971), but its portrayal of Alec and Maurice’s inability to openly articulate their love remains evergreen.—
Cite this Entry
“Impotence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/impotence. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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