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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of usurp
Plus, the Steelers allowed Najee Harris to walk via free agency, setting the stage for Johnson to potentially split carries with Jaylen Warren, if not usurp him.
—
Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
The complaint argued that the federal government was trying to institute a national ban on such care when Congress has not passed one, violating the 10th Amendment by trying to usurp the power of states that have not passed bans.
—Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2025
However, Matheus Nunes had usurped him at right-back towards the end of the season and he was left out of the FA Cup final squad.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
The complaint argued that the federal government was trying to institute a national ban on such care when Congress has not passed one, violating the 10th Amendment by trying to usurp the power of states that have not passed bans.
—Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2025
However, Matheus Nunes had usurped him at right-back towards the end of the season and he was left out of the FA Cup final squad.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurp
Verb
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Leaders must continuously renew and reinvent their strategies to seize opportunities and stay ahead of the curve.—
Glenn Llopis,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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With each load seized, the cartel would take another bite off its own tail.—
Martin Suarez,
Rolling Stone,
13 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At a concurrent raid at the STUM’s headquarters, a dozen people in plain clothes, including the Shwe Pyi Thar ward administrator, were described as forcibly entering the office to confiscate laptops and cellphones.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
11 Sep. 2025
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The victims had had their passports and phones confiscated.—
Christine Ro,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The bots would impersonate beneficiaries, using dates of birth and other information that can be found on the internet, to try to change the beneficiaries’ bank-routing information and steal their benefits.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
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Through the first week of September, Soto stole three bases.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Video surveillance from the scene posted online by Fox 11 shows a man lingering near a doorway, quickly grabbing the gift box from a table and running out of the venue.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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The owner wanted to keep the grab-and-go options previously offered in the space.—
La Risa R. Lynch,
jsonline.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Elsewhere, groups briefly occupied public buildings.—
Saskya Vandoorne,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
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Addresses that shuttered last year are already occupied with new tenants, the turnkey transition opening new doors for diners.—
Miguel Otárola,
Denver Post,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Customers can wrap the truck’s exterior paneling in a color or print of their choosing, as well as customize lighting and tires, and even convert the two-passenger flat bed truck into a 5-person SUV.—
Jessica Mathews,
Fortune,
10 Sep. 2025
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In his testimony, Norwood argues that Entergy failed to consider other less costly options for its generating project in Jefferson County, namely converting the already-existing White Bluff facility to burn natural gas.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Usurp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurp. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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