displace

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verb dis·place \ (ˌ)dis-ˈplās , di-ˈsplās \

Definition of displace

transitive verb

1 a :to remove from the usual or proper place; specifically :to expel or force to flee from home or homeland

displaced persons

b :to remove from an office, status, or job

c obsolete :to drive out :banish

2 a :to move physically out of position

a floating object displaces water

b :to take the place of (as in a chemical reaction) :supplant

—

displaceable

play \-ˈplā-sə-bəl\ adjective

See displace defined for English-language learners

See displace defined for kids

Examples of displace in a Sentence

The war has displaced thousands of people.
The hurricane displaced most of the town's residents.
The closing of the factory has displaced many workers.
farming practices that displace large amounts of soil

Recent Examples of displace from the Web

The war has killed more than 10,000 civilians and displaced over 3 million people.

— Washington Post, "Witnesses: Saudi-led airstrike kills 5 civilians in Yemen," 30 Aug. 2017
The collection at High Point will continue through Sept. 8 and go toward the American Red Cross and Austin Pets Alive, a Texas animal shelter that is evacuating animals and providing shelter and transportation to pets displaced by the flooding.

— steve zimmerman, Daily Southtown, "Orland-area students getting an education in how to help," 30 Aug. 2017
Painkillers and heroin have displaced methamphetamine as the biggest drug threat in many rural and suburban counties.

— amy yurkanin, AL.com, "Poor, rural and addicted: Drugs drive surge in white women in prison," 24 Aug. 2017
At least 1.3 million people have been internally displaced, and at least 40,000 have fled to Angola.

— Bloomberg.com, "UN Report Details Congo Carnage, Warns of 'Ethnic Cleansing'," 4 Aug. 2017
Religious conservatives have quietly displaced India’s old, privileged secular elite at the helm of universities and other state institutions.

— The Economist, "The elephant in its labyrinthIn the race with its tricky neighbour, India has recently been winning," 22 July 2017
On another day, passengers visited a market and met residents who were among the 1.3 million people displaced nearly a decade ago by the purposeful flooding of the river.

— david g. molyneaux, miamiherald, "He had to lie about his age to ride a bicycle on Xian’s city wall," 20 July 2017
The displaced lived in tents, provided by the U.N. and Turkey, in an arid climate, with scorching summer weather.

— philip issa, The Seattle Times, "Weary Syrians trickle back home to government-held areas," 13 July 2017
The fire was struck out by 1:30 a.m. There were no reported injuries, and officials did not immediately have information about the number of people who were displaced.

— chicago tribune staff, chicagotribune.com, "Firefighters battle extra-alarm fire on North Side," 8 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'displace.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of displace

probably from Middle French desplacer, from des- dis- + place place

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1549

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displace Synonyms

Synonyms

budge, dislocate, move, disturb, relocate, remove, reposition, shift, transfer, transpose

Antonyms

crown, enthrone, throne

Related Words

bear, carry, cart, convey, drive, haul, lug, tote, transmit, transplant, transport; replace, supersede, supplant; alter, make over, modify, redo, refashion, remake, remodel, revamp, revise, rework, vary

Near Antonyms

anchor, fix, freeze, moor, secure, set, stabilize; embed (also imbed), entrench (also intrench), implant, ingrain (also engrain), lodge, root

Synonym Discussion of displace

replace, displace, supplant, supersede 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

displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

- war had displaced thousands

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

supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

- the new edition supersedes all previous ones

DISPLACE Defined for English Language Learners

displace

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verb

Definition of displace for English Language Learners

: to take the job or position of (someone or something)
: to force (people or animals) to leave the area where they live
: to remove (someone) from a job or position

DISPLACE Defined for Kids

displace

play

verb dis·place \ dis-ˈplās \

Definition of displace for Students

displaced; displacing

1 :to remove from the usual or proper place

The fire displaced many forest animals.

2 :to take the place of :replace

Chess displaced checkers as his favorite game.

3 :to move out of position

A floating object displaces water.

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displacement

\-mənt\ noun

Medical Dictionary

displace

play

transitive verb dis·place \ (ˈ)dis-ˈplās \

medical Definition of displace

displaced; displacing

1 a :to remove from the usual or proper place

in heterotopia the gray portions of the cord are displaced so that patches of gray matter are scattered among the bundles of white fibers
—R. L. Cecil et al

b :to shift (an emotion or behavior) from a maladaptive or unacceptable object or form of outlet to a more adaptive or acceptable one

displace punishable behavior by directing it towards things that cannot punish
—B. F. Skinner

2 :to set free from chemical combination by taking the place of

zinc displaces the hydrogen of dilute acids

3 :to subject to percolation

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displace

Definition of displace

displaceable

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Examples of displace in a Sentence

Recent Examples of displace from the Web

Origin and Etymology of displace

displace Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of displace

DISPLACE Defined for English Language Learners

displace

Definition of displace for English Language Learners

DISPLACE Defined for Kids

displace

Definition of displace for Students

displacement

Medical Dictionary

displace

medical Definition of displace

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