💡 Controlled by emotion 👹 Controlled by spirit

possessed

6.4

Driven by a strong feeling, idea, or desire

adjective
/pəˈzɛst/

: poseído

After losing the championship, he felt possessed by feelings of anger and disappointment.

So is Alex whenever he's, you know, possessed basically, or under this control, But I'm not sure.

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Examples

We've all let relationships fray that we know shouldn't have by becoming slaves to our ancient reptilian brain or possessed by Bronze Age dogma.
And that's being possessed with trying to accomplish something doesn't make them ruthless.
The traveler is possessed of moral knowledge.
Because when people see this, they think their cat is angry at them or that they're possessed somehow.
The actor seemed possessed during the haunting scene, fully embodying his character's turmoil.
She was possessed by a sense of determination to succeed despite the challenges ahead.

Synonyms

obsessed

vspossessed

245 4.8

Very strongly interested in someone or something and thinking about them all the time

is controlled by a powerful feeling or external influence rather than mere interest

demonic

vspossessed

Literature

6 6.1

Showing a powerful, often frightening energy that drives someone to act

is controlled or strongly influenced by a powerful feeling idea or external force

Antonyms

free

∞ 1.0

Able to act as you want without limits

Idioms

like a man possessed

Informal

1 7.6

Act with very strong, urgent energy and full focus

like all possessed

Informal

9.6

With very strong, uncontrolled energy and effort

How Controlled

possessed

6.4

dominated

2.9

affected

3.6

moved

3.6

Surface Forms

possessed positive

Morphology

possessed = possess (semi-transparent) = possess + ed

Formed by regular suffixation of -ed to the verb 'possess'; the adjectival meaning 'controlled or strongly influenced' is a metaphorical extension of 'have' that is somewhat inferable but not strictly the core sense of 'possess'.

Etymology

Possessed comes from a Latin word meaning 'to have' or 'to own', and it shares the same root as possess and possession. Think of a strong feeling or idea 'owning' a person — so being possessed by an emotion means you are controlled or strongly influenced by it.