SELF-POSSESSED

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does self-possessed mean? 

• SELF-POSSESSED (adjective)
  The adjective SELF-POSSESSED has 1 sense:

1. in full control of your faculties

  Familiarity information: SELF-POSSESSED used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SELF-POSSESSED (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

In full control of your faculties

Synonyms:

collected; equanimous; poised; self-collected; self-contained; self-possessed

Context example:

strong and self-possessed in the face of trouble

Similar:

composed (serenely self-possessed and free from agitation especially in times of stress)

 Context examples 

She was not quite so self-possessed as usual, I thought; and had evidently undergone anxiety and fatigue.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

The difference between them lay in that she was cool and self-possessed while his face flushed to the roots of the hair.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

He was too self-possessed, too strongly poised in his own isolation.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

I studied her myself, and though it was I who maintained the conversation, I know that I was a bit shy, not quite self-possessed.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

She had an instinctive sense of what was pleasing and proper, always said the right thing to the right person, did just what suited the time and place, and was so self-possessed that her sisters used to say, If Amy went to court without any rehearsal beforehand, she'd know exactly what to do.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

I was rather bashful at first, Steerforth being so self-possessed, and elegant, and superior to me in all respects (age included); but his easy patronage soon put that to rights, and made me quite at home.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

How she did it, she never knew, but for the next few minutes she worked as if possessed, blindly obeying Laurie, who was quite self-possessed, and lying flat, held Amy up by his arm and hockey stick till Jo dragged a rail from the fence, and together they got the child out, more frightened than hurt.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)