Synonyms of supplant

supplant

verb

sə-ˈplant 

as in to replace

to take the place of

old traditions that were fading away and being supplanted by modern ways

Synonyms & Similar Words

• replace
• supersede
• substitute
• displace
• relieve
• usurp
• displant
• preempt
• cut out

Synonym Chooser

How is the word supplant distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of supplant are displace, replace, and supersede. While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," 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

When is it sensible to use displace instead of supplant?

Although the words displace and supplant have much in common, displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

When could replace be used to replace supplant?

In some situations, the words replace and supplant are roughly equivalent. However, replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate.

replaced the broken window

When can supersede be used instead of supplant?

The words supersede and supplant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of supplant

Both players should tangibly improve the club's offensive optionality under new head coach Mike Brown, who supplants fellow former two-time Coach of the Year Tom Thibodeau. —Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Sep. 2025

The release would come as Samsung, Apple and other device makers are experimenting with new designs to wow consumers – an increasingly challenging feat as people hold onto their phones for longer than before and analysts question whether new AI devices will one day supplant the smartphone. —Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 18 Sep. 2025

That funding supplants a pilot funding program that lawmakers had utilized for member security in the wake of the shooting targeting state lawmakers in Minnesota over the summer. —John Parkinson, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2025

By that point the salmon, which had been in Chamberlan’s freezer, had shed a few ounces, and its official weight was 6 pounds, 1 ounce — still enough to supplant the 1985 record. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 17 Sep. 2025