as in to evict
to end the occupancy or possession of
opponents of gentrification claim that the process unfairly dispossesses poorer residents of their long-established homes
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Recent Examples of dispossess
Calling his father and uncle gusanos — or worms, a Spanish-language term coined by Castro to denigrate those fleeing the island — the agent seized the bank and in an instant dispossessed a family that arrived from Spain in the 16th century.
—
Joshua Goodman, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
The growth of colonial Australian society came at the expense of the Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who were often dispossessed of their land, exposed to foreign diseases, and either pushed into marginal areas or forcibly assimilated into European culture.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
As Morocco’s indigenous inhabitants, El Hammoumy continued, the Berbers are like other native peoples around the world who have been systematically dispossessed of their lands and heritage for centuries.
—Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
But in the next 30 years, the people who will bear the brunt of that catastrophe—who will be dispossessed, uprooted, and exposed to the worst of the elements—will be those who are already on the other side of society’s walls.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dispossess
Joshua Goodman, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
The growth of colonial Australian society came at the expense of the Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who were often dispossessed of their land, exposed to foreign diseases, and either pushed into marginal areas or forcibly assimilated into European culture.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
As Morocco’s indigenous inhabitants, El Hammoumy continued, the Berbers are like other native peoples around the world who have been systematically dispossessed of their lands and heritage for centuries.
—Kevin West, Travel + Leisure, 10 Mar. 2026
But in the next 30 years, the people who will bear the brunt of that catastrophe—who will be dispossessed, uprooted, and exposed to the worst of the elements—will be those who are already on the other side of society’s walls.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dispossess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispossess
Verb
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Before trying to evict bats, think about the timing.—
Tara Hohoff,
The Conversation,
28 May 2026
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But its main tenant, the Orange County Soccer Club, which plays in the second-division USL Championship, has been temporarily evicted, left to train in the nearby park and play its final home game before the World Cup at Eddie West Field in Santa Ana, 12 miles away.—
Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Federal prosecutors later charged Russell with depriving Bils of his rights under color of law and discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 May 2026
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As of this spring, sixteen of its newest homes — two four-bedroom houses and eight one-bedroom units in phase one — are home to people who, until recently, were experiencing homelessness in one of the UK's most beautiful and most deprived counties.—
Afdhel Aziz,
Forbes.com,
25 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dispossess.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispossess. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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