Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In an impotent manner; without strength or force.
  • Without self-restraint; beyond power of control.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In an impotent manner.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In an impotent manner.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb in a helpless manner

Etymologies

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Examples

  • By the same token, paying $5 so your character in The Graveyard can die after an hour wandering around impotently is incredibly moving, but I wouldn't want to pay $60 to do the same thing for 15 hours.

    Kicking The Dog SVGL 2009

  • The US and NATO have demonstrated to the world they were taken completely by surprise and had no Plan B – unless frothing impotently from the sidelines could be described as a plan.

    nato plans to re-arm georgia 2008

  • ... gracefully dealing with a stolen election ... you didn't mean to say "impotently", did you?

    Report: Hillary Believes Obama Threat Will "Diminish" 2009

  • Democrats backed down from putting the GOP on the spot, however, punting the decision on the Bush tax cuts to the lame-duck session, when everyone buckled under the pressure of all the "hostage taking" that Obama would finally and impotently decry.

    WaPo Editors Finally Realize The GOP Isn't Serious About The Debt Jason Linkins 2011

  • I thank her and walk off, leaving the other guy at the desk, still screaming impotently.

    Get Laid or Die Trying Jeff Allen 2011

  • The little thlakko called for attention, his leg hanging impotently.

    Fire The Sky W. Michael Gear 2011

  • I watched impotently as the screams, shrieks, and bellows of combat mixed with the clatter of arrows off armor and the chopping sounds of men killing each other.

    Fire The Sky W. Michael Gear 2011

  • Democrats backed down from putting the GOP on the spot, however, punting the decision on the Bush tax cuts to the lame-duck session, when everyone buckled under the pressure of all the "hostage taking" that Obama would finally and impotently decry.

    WaPo Editors Finally Realize The GOP Isn't Serious About The Debt Jason Linkins 2011

  • Spectral, naked black branches now clawed impotently at the tortured sky.

    Fire The Sky W. Michael Gear 2011

  • Warriors shot for the center of the chest, only to curse as their stone points shattered on hierro or their arrows thunked impotently into cloth batting.

    Fire The Sky W. Michael Gear 2011

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