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as in to replace
to take the place of inefficient methods displaced by newer ones

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word displace distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of displace are replace, supersede, and supplant. While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

When can replace be used instead of displace?

The synonyms replace and displace are sometimes interchangeable, but replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate.

replaced the broken window

When is supersede a more appropriate choice than displace?

In some situations, the words supersede and displace are roughly equivalent. However, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

In what contexts can supplant take the place of displace?

While the synonyms supplant and displace are close in meaning, supplant implies either a dispossessing or usurping of another's place, possessions, or privileges or an uprooting of something and its replacement with something else.

was abruptly supplanted in her affections by another

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of displace In 2011, Thai and Cambodian troops clashed in a nearby area surrounding the 11th century Preah Vihear temple, a UNESCO World heritage site, displacing thousands of people on both sides and killing at least 20 people. Helen Regan, CNN Money, 19 June 2025 Some predict a future technological uprising where AIs displace humans, and others dismiss the worry as science fiction, Hinton said. Ashton Jackson tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 17 June 2025 Protesters argue that uncontrolled tourism is causing housing prices to rise and displacing residents. Guillermo Martinez, USA Today, 17 June 2025 These clashes lasted for years, coming to a head in 2011, after displacing 36,000 at the height of the conflict in April that year. Chad De Guzman, Time, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for displace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for displace
Verb
  • The partnership removes technical barriers from accepting crypto payments by operating within existing Shopify payment flows and handling blockchain complexity behind the scenes.
    Anastasia Chernikova, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
  • The museum worked with American Airlines mechanics to remove those control surfaces.
    Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Cameron Payne was relegated to the end of the bench by the conference finals.
    Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025
  • But Pavard had an exit clause in his contract, and Stuttgart was relegated to the second division that season.
    Manuel Veth, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • Before the referee had even dropped the whistle from his mouth, Erling Haaland galloped onto the pitch with a coach clearly tasked with readying him to replace Omar Marmoush at the break.
    Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 27 June 2025
  • Kennedy previously fired the entire 17-member panel of outside vaccine experts and replaced them with his own picks.
    Ahmed Aboulenein, USA Today, 26 June 2025
Verb
  • Onganía’s rule lasted only a few years before he was deposed and replaced by another general, and soon the political chaos was matched by economic disruption.
    Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
  • Before Attacking Iran, The IAF Made Syrian Airspace More Accessible Than Ever Before After armed opposition groups in Syria finally deposed the Assad regime in a lightning November-December 2024 offensive, Israel swiftly took action.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 22 June 2025
Verb
  • After spending his childhood in Minnesota, his family relocated to Orlando.
    Avery Stone, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025
  • The caravan then relocated to the stadium’s Downtown Gate near the 110 Freeway.
    Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
Verb
  • Any input would help. – Visiting Accident Dear Visiting: Don’t banish yourself just yet.
    R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 24 June 2025
  • Softening those characters for present-day sensibilities banishes what little edge there was and leaves everything feeling over-bright in a restless and relentless production.
    David Benedict, Variety, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • In April, before the trial began, prosecutors filed additional charges against Combs in a superseding indictment, bringing the total number of counts against him to five.
    July 1, CBS News, 1 July 2025
  • This woman called you a bad mom to your face and thought her judgment should supersede your judgment about what YOUR child should have.
    Toria Sheffield, People.com, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • One day in 1997, after a fire, the Giuliani administration sent a wrecking ball to topple the building.
    Dan Greene, New Yorker, 21 June 2025
  • For Trump, the ability to topple rivals was enough of a threat without taking it out of the safe.
    Philip Elliott, Time, 19 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Displace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/displace. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.

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