- (followed by of) owning or having
- (usually postpositive) under the influence of a powerful force, such as a spirit or strong emotion
- a less common word for self-possessed
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2015
- made to move by a strong feeling, by madness, or by a supernatural power:She looked like a woman possessed.
- self-possessed; calm;
- Idiomspossessed of, [be + ~] having;
possessing:He is possessed of intelligence and ambition.
- spurred or moved by a strong feeling, madness, or a supernatural power (often fol. by by, of, or with):The army fought as if possessed. The village believed her to be possessed of the devil.
- self-possessed; poised.
- possessed of, having; possessing:He is possessed of intelligence and ambition.
- possess + -ed2 1525–35