as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
the mayor usurped the school board's authority when he fired the principal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of usurp
Team Cherry The Pale King usurped the ruling deity, the Radiance, a god of light who shines in contrast to the Abyss, a primordial force of darkness that is represented by Void.
—
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Mamoru Hosoda’s anime riff on Hamlet gives us a princess of Denmark hell-bent on killing the uncle who usurped the crown from her beloved dad.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2025
But there are fears that the technology will usurp opportunities for people looking to break into the field.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Mamoru Hosoda’s anime riff on Hamlet gives us a princess of Denmark hell-bent on killing the uncle who usurped the crown from her beloved dad.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2025
But there are fears that the technology will usurp opportunities for people looking to break into the field.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurp
Verb
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The boost would be short-lived, as the Shamrocks seized the momentum back with a strong defensive response and took possession over at the Spartans’ 29-yard line.—
Erik Anderson,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
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In September, the DEA in Atlanta seized over 1,000 pounds of meth in an operation targeting the CJNG.—
Asher Redd,
FOXNews.com,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Once confiscated, the plants spend the rest of their lives at the botanical garden, where their seeds can be banked for future conservation projects.—
John Leos,
AZCentral.com,
26 Sep. 2025
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During the latest protests in Indonesia, authorities confiscated banners and labeled them treasonous.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The play that drew Reeve’s ire was Alyssa Thomas stealing the ball from Napheesa Collier near the 3-point line and going toward the other end of the court for the game-sealing layup.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
28 Sep. 2025
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Thankfully, my passport wasn’t stolen, nor was it stranded somewhere in the middle of the rainforest (my worst fear at the time).—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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On third-and-9 from the 50, Murray threw a contested pass that receiver Zay Jones couldn’t grab.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
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Thomas grabbed her husband’s ashes and some cash before trying to rescue her German shepherd, Storm, her companion of more than six years.—
Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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As Hughes is preparing to take the corner, Richards attacks the back-post zone and Munoz dashes towards the near post to occupy Kyle Walker-Peters.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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The temperature map of the cosmic microwave background can be broken up into different components, some of which occupy large angular scales in the sky, and some of which occupy small angular scales, as well as everything in-between.—
Ethan Siegel,
Big Think,
24 Sep. 2025
Verb
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At 32 years old, Weaver is unlikely to receive a long-term deal, so his free agency will be interesting in terms of length and value for a pitcher past his prime looking to convert back from the bullpen to the starting rotation.—
Andrew Wright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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Boston said the team has opened ticket deposits and will begin converting them into full season ticket sales in the coming weeks.—
Asli Pelit,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Usurp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurp. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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