dis·pos·sess
ˌdis-pə-ˈzes 
also -ˈses
dispossessed; dispossessing; dispossesses
: to put out of possession or occupancy
dispossessed the nobles of their land
: the act of dispossessing or the state of being dispossessed
Alexander proposed to himself nothing short of complete dispossession of Darius in favor of himself as captain general of Hellas—
Encyclopedia Americana
Encyclopedia Americanawaves of dispossession that have marked American history—Indian driven out by pioneer, pioneer displaced by planter, planter superseded by speculator—Paul Pickrel
Paul Pickrel
specifically
: legal ouster
Examples of dispossess in a Sentence
Verb
The land was settled by dispossessing the native people who lived here.
opponents of gentrification claim that the process unfairly dispossesses poorer residents of their long-established homes
Recent Examples on the Web
Monica Alba,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
Back in a virtual Foxborough, the eyes of Iraqi goalkeeper Hassan — before, during and after Haaland had brutally dispossessed him in his own six-yard box — tell quite the story.
—
Adam Hurrey,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
The family owners of Fischer Bücherei were Jews of Hungarian origin, who had been dispossessed of their publishing house by the Nazis before it was returned to them after the war.
—
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Kelsy dispossessed San Diego in its defensive third, cut back to evade a defender at the edge of the penalty area, and skipped a shot inside the near post to give the Timbers (3-5-1) a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute.
—
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dispossess
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Verb
He was tackled and dispossessed with the ball on a trajectory to the goal.
—
Monica Alba,
NBC news,
24 June 2026
Back in a virtual Foxborough, the eyes of Iraqi goalkeeper Hassan — before, during and after Haaland had brutally dispossessed him in his own six-yard box — tell quite the story.
—
Adam Hurrey,
New York Times,
24 June 2026
The family owners of Fischer Bücherei were Jews of Hungarian origin, who had been dispossessed of their publishing house by the Nazis before it was returned to them after the war.
—
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Kelsy dispossessed San Diego in its defensive third, cut back to evade a defender at the edge of the penalty area, and skipped a shot inside the near post to give the Timbers (3-5-1) a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute.
—
ABC News,
26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dispossess
Cite this Entry
“Dispossess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dispossess. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
dispossess
verb
dis·pos·sess
ˌdis-pə-ˈzes
: to take away the possession of or the right to occupy land or houses
Legal Definition
dispossess
transitive verb
dis·pos·sess
ˌdis-pə-ˈzes
: to put out of possession or occupancy compare evict
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