1. Deprived of possessions: This is the most basic meaning. It refers to someone who has been stripped of their belongings, whether through theft, eviction, natural disaster, or other circumstances.
Examples:
* "The dispossessed refugees had lost everything in the war."
* "The family was dispossessed of their land by the greedy landlord."
2. Lacking power or control: This meaning expands on the idea of loss to include a sense of being marginalized or disempowered. It can refer to a group of people who have been historically excluded from power, such as indigenous populations or lower socioeconomic classes.
Examples:
* "The dispossessed workers had no voice in the company's decisions."
* "The novel explores the struggles of the dispossessed in a society rife with inequality."
3. Figurative meaning: "Dispossessed" can also be used figuratively to describe someone who has lost something intangible, such as their identity, their sense of belonging, or their sense of self.
Examples:
* "He felt dispossessed after the death of his wife, as if a part of him was missing."
* "The city's rapid development had left many feeling dispossessed from their past."
In short, "dispossessed" implies a state of loss, whether it be material possessions, power, or a sense of belonging. It evokes a sense of vulnerability and hardship.