Current HistorySidney Hyman
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While often associated with questionable behavior by the royals of eras past, usurp retains its usefulness today. It’s still typically applied when someone takes power without authority or the right to do so, though the power taken is not necessarily political and the question of right and authority may be subject to debate; a city council usurping a mayor’s power is a more traditional use of the word, but one product can be said to be usurping market share from another, and one athlete may claim to have usurped GOAT status. The usurpation can even be sartorial: Amanda Mull, writing for The Atlantic, noted how tracksuits in the 1980s “usurped much of cotton sweatpants’ momentum toward legitimate coolness.” Usurp comes from Latin: usurpare, meaning “to take possession of without a legal claim,” was formed by combining usu (a form of usus, meaning “use,” which also led to the words usually and use) and rapere (“to seize”).
Examples of usurp in a Sentence
Allison Deangelis, STAT, 1 June 2026
The opposition’s narrative that Hollywood is usurping home rule is entirely backward.
—Keith Poliakoff, Sun Sentinel, 1 June 2026
Though its glam environs were eventually usurped by Hawaii’s many newer luxury resorts, an extensive renovation in 2008 gave the Mauna Kea an update without sacrificing its throwback charm.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 May 2026
But even with the UFC’s challenges, no rival promotion has come close to usurping the sport’s power dynamic.
—Mark Puleo, New York Times, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Cite this Entry
“Usurp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/usurp. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Legal Definition
usurp
verbVerb
Latin usurpare to take possession of without a strict legal claim, from usus use + rapere to seize
