possession
8 synonyms and 1 antonym for possession, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — Something that a person owns.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
monomania
willpower
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
Something that a person owns.
“He packed his few possessions into a single bag.”
2. noun
The state of owning, holding, or controlling something.
“The stolen goods were found in her possession.”
Opposites
How to use possession
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
in possession of
personal possessions
gain possession
Etymology
From Latin possessio, related to possidere ("to possess").
Full origin of possession →Frequently asked questions
What does “possession” mean?
The word “possession” means something that a person owns. In plain terms, something owned, the state of owning or holding something, or control of the ball in sports.
How do you pronounce “possession”?
“Possession” is pronounced puh-ZEHSHN (/pəˈzɛʃn̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “possession” in a sentence?
Here is “possession” used in a sentence: “He packed his few possessions into a single bag.”
What part of speech is “possession”?
“Possession” is a noun.
Where does the word “possession” come from?
The word “possession” comes from Latin. From Latin possessio, related to possidere ("to possess").
Is “possession” a common word?
“Possession” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “possession” have?
“Possession” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: something that a person owns.
What is the difference between possession and ownership?
Ownership is the legal right to something; possession is the state of holding or controlling it, which is not always the same thing. A borrowed book is in your possession but remains the lender's property. In everyday use, though, a person's possessions simply means the things they own.
How do you spell possession — possession or posession?
The correct spelling is possession, with two pairs of double s: p-o-s-s-e-s-s-i-o-n. "Posession" and "possesion" are frequent misspellings; remembering that the word contains four s's in two pairs helps.
