displacement

noun

dis·​place·​ment (ˌ)dis-ˈplā-smənt 

di-ˈsplā-

1

: the act or process of displacing : the state of being displaced

a storm that caused the displacement of thousands of people

2

a

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

Synonyms of displacement

• expulsion
• deportation

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 on the Web

The true challenge lies in the human element, managing immense workforce displacement, upskilling entire departments and establishing ethical AI guardrails against algorithmic bias in hiring and performance. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

The same city celebrated as a Black Mecca has also witnessed widening inequality, rising housing costs, and the displacement of many Black residents from neighborhoods their families called home for decades. — Jeffrey Bennett, Time, 17 July 2026

Combined with longer-term political and governance challenges in eastern Africa, this conjunction of existing and anticipated factors in the Horn of Africa risks both further displacement and a rise in mortality. — Peter Hailey, The Conversation, 16 July 2026

The letter warned that AI could reshape the economy more dramatically and far more quickly than the Industrial Revolution, bringing both major productivity gains and the risk of widespread job displacement. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 14 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

see displace

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for displacement

• abasement
• debasement
• defacement
• effacement
• emplacement
• encasement
• misplacement
• outplacement
• replacement
• basement
• placement

Kids Definition

displacement

noun

dis·​place·​ment -ˈplā-smənt 

1

: the act of displacing : the state of being displaced

2

a

: the volume or weight of a fluid (as water) displaced by a floating body (as a ship) of equal weight

b

: the difference between the first position of an object and any later position

c

: the volume displaced by a piston (as in a pump or engine) in a single stroke

also : the total volume displaced in this way by all the pistons in an internal-combustion engine (as of an automobile)

Medical Definition

displacement

noun

dis·​place·​ment -ˈplā-smənt 

1

a

: 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

b

: percolation sense 3

2

: the quantity in which or the degree to which something is displaced

3

a

: the redirection of an emotion or impulse from its original object (as an idea or person) to something that is more acceptable

b

: sublimation sense 2

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