possess

/pəˈzɛs/

//pəˈzɛs// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"possess" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“possess” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #6,949 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#6,949
frequency rank, English
7
letters
7
tracked misspellings
6
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To have (something) as, or as if as, an owner; to have, to own.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

possess vs possessed
78% similar
possess vs possesses
78% similar
possess vs possessor
78% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for possess
PropertyValue
Headwordpossess
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/pəˈzɛs/
Letters7
Frequency rank#6,949
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs6
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “possess” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). possess lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for possess is 7 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /pəˈzɛs/. Corpus data places it at rank #6,949 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 16 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for possess, with forms such as "opssess", "posess", and "posesss". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 6 confusable-pair relationships, "possessed", "possesses", "possessor", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: PIE word *pótis From Middle English possessen (“to have, own; to obtain possession of; to inhabit, occupy”) [and other forms], from Middle French possesser, possessier, Old French possesser, possessier (“to have, own, possess; to dominate”), from Latin pos… The correct English form is possess, spelled P-O-S-S-E-S-S.

Definition

  1. 1
    To have (something) as, or as if as, an owner; to have, to own.
  2. 2
    Of an idea, thought, etc.: to dominate (someone's mind); to strongly influence.
  3. 3
    Of a supernatural entity, especially one regarded as evil: to take control of (an animal or person's body or mind).
  4. 4
    Of a person: to control or dominate (oneself or someone, or one's own or someone's heart, mind, etc.).
  5. 5
    Of a person: to control or dominate (oneself or someone, or one's own or someone's heart, mind, etc.).
  6. 6
    To cause an idea, thought, etc., to strongly affect or influence (someone); to inspire, to preoccupy.
  7. 7
    To occupy the attention or time of (someone).
  8. 8
    To obtain or seize (something); to gain, to win.
  9. 9
    Chiefly followed by of or with: to vest ownership of something in (oneself or someone); to bestow upon, to endow.
  10. 10
    To have control or possession of, but not to own (a chattel or an interest in land).
  11. 11
    To give (someone) information or knowledge; to acquaint, to inform.
  12. 12
    To have the ability to use, or knowledge of (a language, a skill, etc.)
  13. 13
    To inhabit or occupy (a place).
  14. 14
    Chiefly followed by that: to convince or persuade (someone).
  15. 15
    To dominate sexually; to have sexual intercourse with.
  16. 16
    To inhabit or occupy a place.

Etymology

PIE word *pótis From Middle English possessen (“to have, own; to obtain possession of; to inhabit, occupy”) [and other forms], from Middle French possesser, possessier, Old French possesser, possessier (“to have, own, possess; to dominate”), from Latin possessus (“possessed; seized”), the perfect passive participle of possideō (“to have, hold, own, possess; to have possessions; to take control or possession of, occupy, seize; to abide, inhabit, occupy; to dominate”), from potis (“able, capable, possible”) (from Proto-Indo-European *pótis (“master; ruler; husband”)) + sedeō (“to sit; to be seated; to be established, hold firm”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *sed- (“to sit”)).

Synonyms

haveholdownpossess

Antonyms

go withoutlose

This word in other languages

poseer(Español)posséder(Français)besitzen(Deutsch)possuir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: opssess,posess,posesss,posses,possses,ppossess,psosess

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of possess - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

opssess2posess1posesss2posses1possses2ppossess1psosess2
Edit distance from "possess"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "possess"?
"possess" is spelled P-O-S-S-E-S-S. The IPA pronunciation is /pəˈzɛs/.
What does "possess" mean?
As a verb, "possess" means: To have (something) as, or as if as, an owner; to have, to own.
What words are commonly confused with "possess"?
"possess" is commonly confused with "possessed", "possesses", "possessor". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "possess"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "possess" is /pəˈzɛs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "possess"?
PIE word *pótis From Middle English possessen (“to have, own; to obtain possession of; to inhabit, occupy”) [and other forms], from Middle French possesser, possessier, Old French possesser, possessier (“to have, own, possess; to dominate”), from... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “possess”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is P-O-S-S-E-S-S - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /pəˈzɛs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “possessed” - see the side-by-side comparison. possess vs possessed
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list