usurp

verb

yu̇-ˈsərp How to pronounce usurp (audio)
Definition of usurpnext
as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right the mayor usurped the school board's authority when he fired the principal

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 usurp The head coach foresaw a transition taking place over a 12-to-18-month period, whereby Trafford would eventually usurp Pope, now 34. — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 Jason Speaking of football-loving families, the Kelces seem to have usurped the Mannings for the sport’s first family. — Beth Ann Mayer, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026 The 6-foot-6, 308-pounder was at Wisconsin from 2020-24 before finishing at Illinois last season and entering the 49ers’ defensive-line rotation this season, perhaps even usurping Alfred Collins in the starting lineup next to Osa Odighizuwa. — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 30 Aug. 2026 After Davis’ single appearance, Anne Baxter would step in as the matriarch of the series (as a new character), an ironic echo of Baxter’s Eve ambitiously attempting to usurp Davis’ Margo in the classic All About Eve. — Rance Collins, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for usurp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurp
  1. seize
  2. confiscate
  3. steal
  4. grab
  5. occupy
  6. convert
Verb
  • However, such a tie-up would be the largest in history and would almost certainly raise antitrust concerns that Democrats would seize upon.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Washington seized control of Venezuela's oil exports in January after ousting former President Nicolás Maduro in a military raid.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of seize
Verb
  • But on the criminal side, prosecutors help petitioners pull together information about whether a defendant has guns that need to be confiscated, which then gets forwarded on to the relevant law enforcement agency.
    — Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
  • The justice minister said police, soldiers, and mining officials confiscated more than 500 trucks and machinery at several sites in the country’s southeast.
    — Ruben Nyanguila, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of confiscate
Verb
  • Prosecutors said Sherman, from September 2015 through May 2025, stole nearly $18 million from her employer to pay off her extravagant credit card expenses.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2026
  • The denial comes as blockchain analytics firms trace billions of dollars in cryptocurrency stolen from Binance through thousands of wallets across multiple blockchains.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of steal
Verb
  • In a separate incident Sunday, Basabe flagged down police to report that a parking garage employee grabbed and threw his phone to the ground, the report shows.
    — Sofia Saric, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Testing spoons stored in a manner where lip contact surface contamination could happen when employee grabs the spoon from container.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • The rooms Most of the 297 rooms and suites occupy a 30-storey tower added in the ’90s, where champagne tones, glossy dark woods, and silk accents meet impeccable detail.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The new Mastro’s took over the ground-floor space formerly occupied by McCormick & Schmick’s at the corner of Marietta Street and Centennial Olympic Park Drive.
    — Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of occupy
Verb
  • Silicon carbide and gallium nitride Silicon carbide and gallium nitride are wide-bandgap semiconductor materials used to control and convert electrical power.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • By the finale, Joanne had converted and the two had an impromptu wedding on the beach, while the duo’s siblings, Sasha (Timothy Simons) and Morgan (Justine Lupe), had embarked on a complicated romance.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of convert

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usuals
usurp
usurpation
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Cite this Entry

“Usurp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurp. Accessed 10 Nov. 2026.

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