displacement
noun
di-ˈsplā- \
Definition of displacement
1 : the act or process of displacing : the state of being displaced a storm that caused the displacement of thousands of people
2a physics : the volume or weight of a fluid (such as water) displaced (see displace sense 2a) by a floating body (such as a ship) of equal weight
b : the difference between the initial position of something (such as a body or geometric figure) and any later position
c mechanical engineering : the volume displaced by a piston (as in a pump or an engine) in a single stroke also, automotive vehicles : the total volume so displaced by all the pistons in an internal combustion engine
3 psychology
a : the redirection of an emotion or impulse from its original object (such as an idea or person) to another the displacement of his emotions
b
: the substitution of another form of behavior for what is usual or expected especially when the usual response is nonadaptive or socially inappropriate
— called also
displacement activity, displacement behavior
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Synonyms for displacement
Synonyms
banishment, deportation, exile, expatriation, expulsion, relegation
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Examples of displacement in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The largest such system, the 35, for boats up to 100 tons displacement, costs $216,300 out of the box. — Dan Neil, WSJ, "Skip the Seasickness: How Boats Are Getting More Tech-Savvy," 28 June 2018 The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates the world is seeing its highest levels of displacement on record, with 68.5 million people forced from their homes. — Fortune, "‘Fake Refugees Get Out.’ How South Koreans Are Channeling Trump," 28 June 2018 Da Ku arrived in Milwaukee with his family of seven in 2011, his mother and father hoping that their lives — to that point shaped largely by poverty, displacement, and violence — would finally be anchored. — Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Some refugees resettling in America find gun violence instead of peace," 27 June 2018 In stark terms, that’s 20 new displacements per minute, and the majority of those displaced are children (51% to be exact). — Shammara Lawrence, Teen Vogue, "Lucy Ochan Is the Inspiring Young Designer Shedding Light on the Refugee Community," 20 June 2018 Defying the terrorist threat and rampant displacement, in late 2015 the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil formally opened the CUE in the Christian enclave of Ankawa. — Hollie Mckay, Fox News, "Iraqi Christian hits Pope’s 'submissive' policy on tolerance for Islam, other religions," 31 May 2018 The Syrian Civil Defense, a team of first responders, said that more than 150 airstrikes targeted 12 towns and villages in eastern and western Daraa since dawn, setting off a new wave of displacement. — Sarah El Deeb, Fox News, "Activists: Airstrike on shelter kills 17 in southwest Syria," 28 June 2018 Inner City Law Center director Jerry Jones, who authored the report, said in addition to new affordable housing, advocates want existing housing preserved and very strong development controls adopted to stop housing displacement. — Gale Holland, latimes.com, "L.A. plan to 'gentrify' skid row will oust poor residents, advocates say," 15 June 2018 Truckers, in particular, will eventually face some displacement. — Aarian Marshall, WIRED, "Self-Driving Cars Likely Won’t Steal Your Job (Until 2040)," 13 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'displacement.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for displacement
displacement
noun
\
Medical Definition of displacement
1a : the act or process of removing something from its usual or proper place or the state resulting from this : dislocation the displacement of a knee joint
2 : the quantity in which or the degree to which something is displaced
3a : the redirection of an emotion or impulse from its original object (as an idea or person) to something that is more acceptable
c
: the substitution of another form of behavior for what is usual or expected especially when the usual response is nonadaptive
— called also
displacement activity, displacement behavior
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