as in deprived
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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
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Recent Examples of dispossessed
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
CBS News, 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
See All Example Sentences for dispossessed
Adjective
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
Verb
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.
—CBS News, 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
See All Example Sentences for dispossessed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispossessed
Adjective
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Rayner is a former carer and trade unionist who came from a deprived household in Stockport, near Manchester, and became a mother at 16.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
14 May 2026
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The alliance jointly fought the 2024 general election and deprived Modi of an outright majority, forcing him to rely on the support of regional parties to form a coalition government.—
Shilpa Jamkhandikar,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Verb
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The New Hampshire Department of Justice previously reported that Harmony was last seen after being evicted with her family from a Manchester home the day before Thanksgiving.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
12 June 2026
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An Israeli flag waves above the home where Khalil Basbous was evicted in January.—
Sam Mednick,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Among his many acts of service, my father volunteered with Chicago’s Christmas Ship, bringing Christmas trees to disadvantaged families in the area.—
Alex Poppe,
Chicago Tribune,
12 June 2026
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In contrast, students at disadvantaged schools were more likely to spend much of the day in passive activities such as listening to lectures, practicing rote memorization or copying from the board.—
Supreet Kaur,
Scientific American,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Among the Cambodians to exploit the instability was Toek Tik, a once-impoverished former Khmer Rouge foot soldier whose confessions helped investigators substantiate some of their claims against Latchford.—
Oscar Holland,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
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And the people who got trapped behind—and who are now the impoverished mass of the remaining Cuban population—are the descendants of the slave population, or those who intermarried with the slave population.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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Now, Emanuel is raising money for a New Hampshire nonprofit organization that provides bicycles to underprivileged children, in addition to raising his profile.—
Naomi Lim,
The Washington Examiner,
13 June 2026
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Jackson would invite hundreds of children to come play at his ranch, particularly ill and underprivileged kids.—
Brianna Zigler,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
Adjective
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The now-tony West London locale was considered a destitute enclave for artists and bohemians at the time, and Hockney's flat epitomized this lifestyle.—
Annabelle Dufraigne,
Architectural Digest,
12 June 2026
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In 2022, after the war ended, Tigray was destitute.—
Claire Wilmot & Gisa Tunbridge,
The Dial,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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Some of the possible QB-needy teams include the Cardinals, Dolphins, Browns and Jets.—
Mike DeFabo,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
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Over the course of the season, Chantal grows frustrated with her needy fiancé and begins falling for Jordie, who has harbored feelings for Delilah for years, but seemingly moves on and reciprocates Chantal’s affections.—
Arushi Jacob,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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The 41-person state agency contracts with private defense attorneys to represent indigent defendants who cannot be represented by the Office of the State Public Defender, typically when public defenders have conflicts of interest.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
4 June 2026
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She has since been declared indigent.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dispossessed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispossessed. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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