as in to evict
to end the occupancy or possession of
opponents of gentrification claim that the process unfairly dispossesses poorer residents of their long-established homes
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Recent Examples of dispossess
Calling his father and uncle gusanos — or worms, a Spanish-language term coined by Castro to denigrate those fleeing the island — the agent seized the bank and, in an instant, dispossessed a family that arrived from Spain in the 16th century.
—
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Calling his father and uncle gusanos — or worms, a Spanish-language term coined by Castro to denigrate those fleeing the island — the agent seized the bank and in an instant dispossessed a family that arrived from Spain in the 16th century.
—
Joshua Goodman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
The growth of colonial Australian society came at the expense of the Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who were often dispossessed of their land, exposed to foreign diseases, and either pushed into marginal areas or forcibly assimilated into European culture.
—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
As Morocco’s indigenous inhabitants, El Hammoumy continued, the Berbers are like other native peoples around the world who have been systematically dispossessed of their lands and heritage for centuries.
—
Kevin West,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dispossess
CBS News,
22 Apr. 2026
Calling his father and uncle gusanos — or worms, a Spanish-language term coined by Castro to denigrate those fleeing the island — the agent seized the bank and in an instant dispossessed a family that arrived from Spain in the 16th century.
—
Joshua Goodman,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Apr. 2026
The growth of colonial Australian society came at the expense of the Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who were often dispossessed of their land, exposed to foreign diseases, and either pushed into marginal areas or forcibly assimilated into European culture.
—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
As Morocco’s indigenous inhabitants, El Hammoumy continued, the Berbers are like other native peoples around the world who have been systematically dispossessed of their lands and heritage for centuries.
—
Kevin West,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dispossess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispossess
Verb
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The fan was quickly approached and evicted.
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Failure to abide by this condition could mean losing your security deposit, or even being evicted.
Verb
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Using marijuana every other day isn’t a sufficient reason for the government to deprive Americans of their constitutional right to bear arms.
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Plus, participants from the UK Biobank tend to be healthier and less socioeconomically deprived than the general population, which may limit how well the findings apply to everyone.
Cite this Entry
“Dispossess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispossess. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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