powerlessly
5.5
Without being able to do anything to change what happens
- adverb
- /ˈpaʊərləsli/
:
impotentemente
- The citizens protested, but they felt powerlessly ignored by the government.
- watching powerlessly
Examples
-
During the storm, we stood powerlessly on the shore, unable to help those at sea.
-
Latvia and Lithuania, Estonia's less prosperous neighbors to the south, are watching equally powerlessly as Russian pilots and ship captains seem to taunt them.
Academic text (2015) -
Parents often feel powerlessly watching their children struggle with issues they cannot control.
Synonyms
helplessly
vspowerlessly
33
2.7
In a way that shows someone cannot do anything to help
is more about lacking power to control outcomes beyond self help
lamely
vspowerlessly
5
5.6
In a weak way that does not seem believable
is about inability to act or control outcomes rather than mere poor quality
impotently
vspowerlessly
1
7.5
In a way that cannot change or stop something
is broader, stressing lack of control over outcomes rather than only helpless feeling
Antonyms
How Powerful
Surface Forms
powerlessly positive
Morphology
Etymology
Powerlessly is made from power + -less + -ly, where power means 'ability to act', -less means 'without', and -ly turns it into a way of doing something. So, powerlessly means 'in a way without power', like watching events happen and not being able to change them.