Impuissance (en. Impotence)
/ɛ̃.pɥi.sɑ̃s/
Meaning & Definition
EnglishFrench
noun
Absence of power or effectiveness.
His impotence in the face of the situation made him unhappy.
Son impuissance face à la situation le rendait malheureux.
Feeling of incapacity or weakness.
He felt a great impotence to change things.
Il ressentait une grande impuissance à changer les choses.
State of dependency where one cannot act independently.
The economic impotence of this country is alarming.
L'impuissance économique de ce pays est alarmante.
Etymology
From the Latin 'impotentia', meaning incapacity.
Common Phrases and Expressions
to feel powerless
To feel an incapacity to act or intervene.
se sentir impuissant
political impotence
Incapacity to influence or change a political situation.
impuissance politique
emotional impotence
Incapacity to express or experience emotions in a relationship.
impuissance affective
Related Words
powerless
One who is without power or incapable.
impuissant
power
Ability to act or exert influence.
pouvoir
domination
Situation where authority or power is exercised over others.
domination
Slang Meanings
To be in a fog
When he learned the news, he was in a fog, feeling his impotence.
Quand il a appris la nouvelle, il était dans le flou, ressentant son impuissance.
To have one's hands tied
Faced with this bureaucracy, he feels as if he has his hands tied.
Face à cette bureaucratie, il a l'impression d'avoir les mains liées.