usurped; usurping; usurps

transitive verb

1
a
: to seize and hold (office, place, functions, powers, etc.) in possession by force or without right
usurp a throne
b
: to take or make use of without right
usurped the rights to her life story
2
: to take the place of by or as if by force : supplant
must not let stock responses based on inherited prejudice usurp careful judgment

intransitive verb

: to seize or exercise authority or possession wrongfully
usurpation
ˌyü-sər-ˈpā-shən How to pronounce usurp (audio)
 also  ˌyü-zər-
noun

Did you know?

Usurp was borrowed into English in the 14th century from the Anglo-French word usorper, which in turn derives from the Latin verb usurpare, meaning "to take possession of without a legal claim." Usurpare itself was formed by combining usu (a form of usus, meaning "use") and rapere ("to seize"). Other descendants of rapere in English include rapacious ("given to seizing or extorting what is coveted"), rapine ("the seizing and carrying away of things by force"), rapt (the earliest sense of which is "lifted up and carried away"), and ravish (one meaning of which is "to seize and take away by violence").

Examples of usurp in a Sentence

Some people have accused city council members of trying to usurp the mayor's power. attempting to usurp the throne
Recent Examples on the Web The beloved local chain of dive bars has been usurped in recent years by Gen Z, looking for cheap well drinks and a staff that won’t call the cops if seven people are vaping under a table. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2024 Banks were usurped in their core function of deposit gathering and transaction accounts. Gene A. Grant Ii, Forbes, 15 Oct. 2024 The premise of this question is that the state legislature should usurp the role of the EPA in regulating emissions, for example expanding on CAFE standards or mandating EV’s. The Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2024 And that’s just scratching the surface: Any one of those could potentially be usurped by gems by Lainey Wilson, Sturgill Simpson, Megan Moroney, and Beyoncé. Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 4 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for usurp 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'usurp.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French usorper, from Latin usurpare to take possession of without legal claim, from usu (ablative of usus use) + rapere to seize — more at rapid

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of usurp was in the 14th century

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Dictionary Entries Near usurp

Cite this Entry

“Usurp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/usurp. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

usurp

verb
: to seize and hold by force or without right
usurp power from the king

Legal Definition

transitive verb

: to seize and hold (as office, place, or powers) in possession by force or without right
the courts may not usurp the powers of the legislature

intransitive verb

: to seize or exercise authority or possession wrongfully
Etymology

Latin usurpare to take possession of without a strict legal claim, from usus use + rapere to seize

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