replace

1
as in to supersede
to take the place of the old street lights were replaced by more energy-efficient models

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to return
to bring, send, or put back to a former or proper place took the fragile vase down to look at it and then gently replaced it on the shelf

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word replace distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of replace are displace, supersede, and supplant. While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate.

replaced the broken window

When is it sensible to use displace instead of replace?

The words displace and replace are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

When would supersede be a good substitute for replace?

While the synonyms supersede and replace are close in meaning, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

In what contexts can supplant take the place of replace?

The synonyms supplant and replace are sometimes interchangeable, but supplant implies either a dispossessing or usurping of another's place, possessions, or privileges or an uprooting of something and its replacement with something else.

was abruptly supplanted in her affections by another

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of replace No singular player can effectively replace everything Barkov brings to the rink. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2025 Tan wipes were in the bin, the towels were ruined, and the housekeeping team had to replace nearly everything. Jason Pham, StyleCaster, 27 Sep. 2025 The endeavor — which involved bulldozing local slums and replacing them with apartments for poor families — is the brainchild of Anne Guinness and Lady Adelaide Guinness (Ann Skelly), the siblings’ first cousin and Edward’s future wife. Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025 Remove any liners and replace them with new ones, if necessary. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for replace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for replace
Verb
  • Very few could supersede Kaprizov in that role.
    The Athletic NHL, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025
  • So the longevity of her dream somehow supersedes Julia’s dream?
    Brian Moylan, Vulture, 26 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • While additional details for the upcoming season of the long-running soap opera remain under wraps, Young and the Restless executive producer and head writer Josh Griffith told TV Insider earlier this month that core characters will be returning with some twists and turns.
    Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Boley said that Heffernan returned from a tour of NFL franchises with fresh schematic and teaching approaches that the players have embraced.
    David Teel, Miami Herald, 27 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Masses of federal workers face going unpaid until funding is restored.
    Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
  • In April, more than 4,700 international students across the country had their immigration status revoked before it was unexpectedly restored weeks later.
    David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 30 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Replace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/replace. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on replace

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