plural displacements
1
: the act of displacing something: such as
a
: the act of forcing people or animals to leave the area where they live
The war has caused the displacement of thousands of people.
population displacements
b
: the movement of something from its original or regular position
displacements in the Earth's crust
soil displacement caused by farming
2
technical
: the amount of water that is moved by an object when it is placed in water
—usually singular
The ship has a very large displacement.
Cite this Entry
“Displacement.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/displacement. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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