as in evicted
to end the occupancy or possession of
opponents of gentrification claim that the process unfairly dispossesses poorer residents of their long-established homes
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in deprived
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dispossessed
Peter Saenger, WSJ, 22 Apr. 2022
Without the voices of the dispossessed, how can there be deconstruction?
—Audrey Clare Farley, The New Republic, 3 Jan. 2022
And when Israel gained its independence in 1948, Zionism became the world’s first successful Indigenous movement of a dispossessed and colonized people regaining sovereignty in their Indigenous homeland.
—Micha Danzig, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Dec. 2021
Chilton’s sonorous voice carries with it the perseverance and anguish of the dispossessed, disenfranchised and violated.
—Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for dispossessed
Verb
Three days after his 10th birthday, his father, a depressed junkman, killed himself, and the experience of misfortune fueled the young artist’s identification with the dispossessed.
—Peter Saenger, WSJ, 22 Apr. 2022
Without the voices of the dispossessed, how can there be deconstruction?
—Audrey Clare Farley, The New Republic, 3 Jan. 2022
And when Israel gained its independence in 1948, Zionism became the world’s first successful Indigenous movement of a dispossessed and colonized people regaining sovereignty in their Indigenous homeland.
—Micha Danzig, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Dec. 2021
Chilton’s sonorous voice carries with it the perseverance and anguish of the dispossessed, disenfranchised and violated.
—Washington Post, 18 Oct. 2021
See All Example Sentences for dispossessed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispossessed
Verb
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Prior to his career in government, Rasool, who as a child was evicted from a Cape Town neighborhood for white people, became an anti-Apartheid campaigner.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
14 Mar. 2025
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Unable to make rent without his father, Rema and his family were evicted from their apartment.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In the last election, some of the most deprived areas of the country — based on factors like income, housing and health — voted for the Conservative Party for the first time.—
Josh Holder,
New York Times,
24 June 2024
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But what makes Seller’s story sing is his vivid recollection of a deprived childhood with demanding parents, his first job as a booking agent, and his coming out during the early days of the AIDS epidemic.—
Air Mail,
Air Mail,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Molinar noted that there’s still work to do to close the gaps between the general student population and student groups such as students who are African American, Hispanic, economically disadvantaged or learning English.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 June 2025
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Scoring for the loans favors disadvantaged census tracks and prioritizes projects with the greatest public health impact and need, including a prevalence of schools, hospitals and senior communities.—
Mike Nolan,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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The impoverished duke needs Gladys' dowry to prop up his family's estate, and Bertha may have promised him a bit too much without informing George or taking Gladys' wishes into account.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
23 June 2025
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Known collectively as Hessians, since most Germans hired by London to fight in America came from Hesse-Kassel, this contingent was largely from the small, impoverished duchy of Brunswick, whose ruling family had intermarried with the British royal family.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Mamelodi, in partnership with Roc Nation Sports International, hosted a clinic for underprivileged children at Mills Pond Park in Fort Lauderdale.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
25 June 2025
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Chicago’s Building Better Futures Center for the Arts, an organization that offers mental health services and education programs for underprivileged youth, will reportedly reap the benefits of his payout.—
Brian Niemietz,
New York Daily News,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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While talks fell apart back in the day, coming away from a global pandemic can serve as an inspiration for a director and scribe whose previous work on the subject seemed prescience for a year when 2020 was destitute and shut down.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
18 June 2025
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In fact, the words were taken from a description of the central character of Les Misérables, destitute following his conviction for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s starving children.—
Graham Robb,
The Atlantic,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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Those investors were permitted to delay or eliminate paying taxes on capital gains by rolling their profits into needy parts of the country to develop real estate or build businesses.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2025
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So buy the best example available, because needy cars are challenged by a paucity of plentiful parts.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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During the hearing, Hardin, 56, was found indigent, and a public defender was assigned to his case, court records show.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
18 June 2025
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He was declared indigent and given a public defender.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
10 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dispossessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispossessed. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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