Most of the time the plainest possess synonym is the best: have or own. Possess sounds formal, so trading it for something lighter often improves a sentence. When you want a little shine, boast works for features and talents, hold fits licenses, shares and records, and command suits skills like a language.
The verb also has two odd corners. A spirit can possess a person, and a sudden urge can possess you to do something silly. Each corner needs its own replacements, and they are grouped separately below so you never grab the wrong one.
Swatch at a glance
Best swaps
have, own, hold, boast, commandPart of speech
Verb; stative, so rarely used with ing in the presentMost formal
be endowed with, be in possession ofMost casual
have got, gotShowy choice
boast (the hotel boasts two pools)Antonyms
lack, lose, be withoutWatch out
Possessive describes jealous behavior or grammar. It is not a swap for owning.
Which possess synonym matches your sense
| Sense | Swaps | Sample line |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership | own, have, hold, keep | My grandfather owned three fishing boats. |
| Qualities and skills | have, boast, command, be blessed with | She commands four languages. |
| Spirits and obsessions | take over, control, grip, consume | Jealousy consumed him for weeks. |
| A strange urge | make, drive, prompt, come over | What came over you, singing at the bus stop? |
Ownership and qualities make up nearly all real uses. The last two rows belong to stories, horror plots and teasing questions between friends.
Plain to polished with have got, hold and more
Formality climbs as the chips move right. Have got is spoken British and casual American: I have got two cats. Have is neutral and at home in any register. Own underlines legal ownership. Hold belongs to paperwork: hold a passport, hold a degree, hold the world record. Be endowed with is literary and nearly always praises natural gifts.
Possess itself sits near the polished end, between hold and be endowed with. That is why job ads say candidates should possess strong writing skills: it sounds official.
Rewrites for six everyday sentences
- He possesses a vintage motorbike becomes he owns a vintage motorbike.
- The town possesses a fine harbor becomes the town boasts a fine harbor.
- Applicants must possess a valid license becomes applicants must hold a valid license.
- She possesses a calm manner becomes she has a calm manner.
- He possesses a good knowledge of Spanish becomes he has a good command of Spanish, or more simply he speaks good Spanish.
- What possessed you to dye the dog blue becomes what made you dye the dog blue.
Picture a job seeker writing: "I possess excellent communication skills and possess a degree in biology." A hiring manager hears a form, not a person. Better: "I hold a degree in biology, and my lab reports earned a reputation for clarity." Hold handles the degree, and the skill is shown rather than claimed.
Possessed, possesses and possessing
Possesses follows the main list: owns, has, holds, boasts.
Possessed as an adjective means taken over by a spirit or a passion. Swaps include haunted, bewitched, obsessed, crazed and in a frenzy. Someone who plays the drums like a man possessed plays wildly, with total focus. In the phrase possessed of, meaning having, try blessed with or gifted with: possessed of great patience becomes blessed with great patience.
Possessing appears mostly as a linking phrase: a city possessing two rivers. Replace it with with or that has: a city with two rivers.
A grammar trap with this verb
Possess, like own and know, describes a state, not an action. So English speakers avoid the present continuous: say she possesses great talent, not she is possessing great talent. The same holds for own and have in the owning sense.
Also check that the swap keeps the right object. Boast needs something impressive after it, so the flat boasts a broken heater sounds like a joke. Command fits knowledge and respect, not houses. For broader help, our get synonyms page and the guide to contain synonyms sort out similar verbs.
Antonyms of possess, with quick examples
Lack is the direct opposite for qualities. Lose, give up and surrender describe ownership ending, and forfeit means you hand it over as a penalty.
- The report lacks a clear conclusion.
- He forfeited his deposit by canceling late.
- After the move they were without a car for a month.
Verbs of this kind live in the action verbs collection, and obtain covers getting something in the first place.
Frequently asked questions
Which word can replace possess most simply?
Have, the humblest verb around, fits nearly any sentence. Own is better when you mean legal ownership of property.
Does possess sound stiff on a CV or resume?
It is acceptable, yet it reads stiffly. Hold works for degrees and licenses, and skills land better when you show a result.
Does boast mean the same as possess?
Only for impressive features. A hotel boasts a rooftop pool, but nobody boasts a parking fine, unless joking.
What does what possessed you mean?
It is a teasing or annoyed way to ask why someone did something odd. What made you do it or what came over you mean the same.
Which antonyms pair with possess?
Lack is the clearest opposite for qualities, and lose or give up suit belongings.
Can I say I am possessing a car?
No. Possess describes a state, so use the simple form: I possess a car, or more naturally, I own a car.