impotent

UK: /ˈɪmpətənt/ US: /ˈɪmpətənt/ ,(im′pə tənt)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

im•po•tent /ˈɪmpətənt/   adj. 

1. of or relating to impotence:
   The police were impotent in the face of such large-scale rioting.
2. Physiology (of a male) unable to make or keep the penis erect during sex.

im•po•tent•ly, adv. See -pot-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

im•po•tent  (im′pə tənt), adj. 

1. not potent;
   lacking power or ability.
2. utterly unable (to do something).
3. without force or effectiveness.
4. Physiology lacking bodily strength or physically helpless.
5. Physiology (of a male) unable to attain or sustain a penile erection.
6. (esp. of a male) sterile.
7. [Obs.] without restraint.

n. 

8. an impotent person:
   therapy for sexual impotents.

• Latin impotent- (stem of impotēns) without power over oneself or others. See im-², potent¹
• Middle English 1350–1400

im′po•tent•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1, 2. powerless, helpless.
• 3. ineffectual, ineffective, feeble, weak.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

impotent / ˈɪmpətənt/ adjective

1. (when postpositive, often takes an infinitive) lacking sufficient strength; powerless
2. (esp of men) unable to perform sexual intercourse

ˈimpotence, ˈimpotency, ˈimpotentness noun

ˈimpotently adverb