as in takeover
the unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority
the development of the colony involved expropriation of large tracts of fertile farmland from the natives
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of expropriation
Output plummeted due to decades of mismanagement, corruption, and expropriations that began under Hugo Chávez and worsened under Maduro.
—
Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Right-wing South African groups such as AfriForum have attacked a new federal land expropriation law, which replaces another law from the apartheid era.
—Joe Hernandez, NPR, 20 Nov. 2025
Since 1980, countries have signed more than 2,600 bilateral and multilateral investment treaties that protect investors from national expropriation, trade discrimination, and undue regulatory burdens.
—Jessica F. Green, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2025
The expropriation entailed the government seizing a 51% equity stake in YPF.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expropriation
Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2025
Right-wing South African groups such as AfriForum have attacked a new federal land expropriation law, which replaces another law from the apartheid era.
—Joe Hernandez, NPR, 20 Nov. 2025
Since 1980, countries have signed more than 2,600 bilateral and multilateral investment treaties that protect investors from national expropriation, trade discrimination, and undue regulatory burdens.
—Jessica F. Green, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2025
The expropriation entailed the government seizing a 51% equity stake in YPF.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 29 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for expropriation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expropriation
Noun
-
Around the same time, Southwest’s management came under pressure following an activist takeover by Elliott Investment Management.—
Dallas Morning News,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Molinar’s update on student performance data comes less than a week after the district lost its final attempt at appealing a state takeover from the Texas Education Agency.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Though the study is underway now, it’s been in the works since Congress included the plan in appropriations legislation in 2022.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
The $1 million is not a new appropriation.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The courts have granted exceptions to a seizure without a search warrant and each specific incident should be reviewed based on its facts.—
Matthew Cupelli,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Those documents will reveal the grounds the federal government used to justify the FBI’s seizure of 2020 election records last month.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
France opened its consulate the same day, a move that paired with Canada’s opening, and underscores European and Canadian aims to reassure Greenlanders worried about a possible annexation.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Feb. 2026
-
DeForest officials deemed a project unfeasible due to a large land annexation requirement.—
Ricardo Torres,
jsonline.com,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The Court’s usurpation runs deeper than the invalidation of statutes with a liberal cast, though there has been plenty of that.—
Duncan Hosie,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
-
As Isaac told it, his kingdom’s history is rife with treachery, usurpation, and murder.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
New Yorker,
24 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expropriation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expropriation. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
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