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 2a) by a floating body (such as a ship) of equal weightb : the difference between the initial position of something (such as a body or geometric figure) and any later positionc 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 emotionsb : 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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Examples of displacement in a Sentence
The war has caused the displacement of thousands of people.
displacements in the Earth's crust
soil displacement caused by farming
Recent Examples of displacement from the Web
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The campaign has led to wide-scale displacement around the Raqqa province, according to the U.N, and conditions are deteriorating inside the provincial capital.
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The campaign has led to wide-scale displacement around the Raqqa province, according to the U.N, and conditions are deteriorating inside the provincial capital.
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Consider for a moment what is at stake with climate change: rising seas, flooded coastal cities, mass extinction, searing drought, human displacement, migration crises, deadlier heatwaves, crop failures, stronger storms.
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Since the Mosul operation was launched in October, Iraqi forces have encouraged civilians to remain in their homes to avoid massive displacement.
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Since the Mosul operation was launched Iraqi forces have encouraged civilians to remain in their homes to avoid massive displacement, and IS fighters have repeatedly targeted fleeing civilians with small arms and mortar fire.
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Barcelona right back Aleix Vidal has been cleared to play 3 1/2 months after a gruesome displacement of his right ankle.
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Popp’s work in the exhibit includes photos and videos that document the demonstrations against the displacement of residents in the city during development for the the 2016 Olympic Games.
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A similar idea, called a universal basic income, has been promoted by some as an answer in the U.S. to the displacement of low-skilled workers by robots and other automation.
These 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.
Origin and Etymology of displacement
see displace
First Known Use: 1611
Other Psychology Terms
Medical Dictionary
displacement
playMedical 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 jointb: percolation 3
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 acceptableb: sublimation 2c: 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
Learn More about displacement
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See words that rhyme with displacement Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for displacement Spanish Central: Translation of displacement Nglish: Translation of displacement for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of displacement for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about displacement
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