Meaning
powerless; helpless
- lacking the power or strength to act; helpless
- unable to achieve an erection (medical sense)
In a sentence
Mi sentivo completamente impotente davanti a quella grave ingiustizia.
I felt completely powerless in the face of that grave injustice.
I medici sono rimasti impotenti di fronte all'avanzare della malattia.
The doctors remained helpless against the progression of the illness.
Non siamo del tutto impotenti, possiamo ancora fare qualcosa.
We are not entirely helpless; we can still do something.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| impotente | masculine · singular |
| impotente | feminine · singular |
| impotenti | masculine · plural |
| impotenti | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- In everyday Italian, it most often expresses emotional powerlessness or helplessness.
- Takes the common -e ending for both masculine and feminine singular, -i for plural.