dispossess

dis·pos·sess

verb \ˌdis-pə-ˈzes also -ˈses\

Definition of DISPOSSESS

transitive verb

: to put out of possession or occupancy <dispossessed the nobles of their land>

— dis·pos·ses·sion \-ˈze-shən also -ˈse-\ noun

— dis·pos·ses·sor \-ˈze-sər also -ˈse-\ noun

Examples of DISPOSSESS

1. The land was settled by dispossessing the native people who lived here.
2. <opponents of gentrification claim that the process unfairly dispossesses poorer residents of their long-established homes>

Origin of DISPOSSESS

Middle French despossesser, from des- dis- + possesser to possess

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to DISPOSSESS

Synonyms: divest, expropriate, oust

Related Words: deforce, evict; disfurnish, strip; bereave, deprive, disinherit; annex, appropriate, commandeer, impound, seize, take over, usurp

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Rhymes with DISPOSSESS

ABS, acquiesce, baroness, bitter cress, CBS, coalesce, convalesce, crown princess, DES, decompress, deliquesce, derepress, due process, effervesce, effloresce, evanesce, full-court press, gentilesse, granny dress, in-process, inverness, Inverness, less and less, letterpress, luminesce, Lyonnesse, minidress, more or less, nonetheless, obsolesce, otherguess, overdress, pennycress, phosphoresce, politesse, prepossess, preprocess, recrudesce, repossess, reprocess, retrogress, second-guess, SOS, sweaterdress, underdress, watercress, window-dress, word process