as in evicting
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 dispossessing
Mandi was in control of the ball, going nowhere fast, and there was little prospect of dispossessing him from Messi’s position.
—
Jack Lang, New York Times, 17 June 2026
How a state comes to control another land and its people, sometimes slowly dispossessing the natives of their lands, sometimes laying waste to them, sometimes committing genocide.
—Philip Metres
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Jack Lang, New York Times, 17 June 2026
How a state comes to control another land and its people, sometimes slowly dispossessing the natives of their lands, sometimes laying waste to them, sometimes committing genocide.
—Philip Metres
august 27, Literary Hub, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispossessing
Verb
-
But in 2023, Kenya’s government began evicting them again, citing a new justification.—
Buket Altınçelep,
The Conversation,
12 June 2026
-
Just months into the pandemic, Matthew Haines, like landlords across the country, learned he was barred from evicting tenants who didn’t pay their rent under a federal eviction moratoriumthat lasted almost a year — costing him and his investors over $1 million.—
Michael Casey,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
Verb
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The parents are accused of depriving the child of bathroom access, light, food and water while they were confined.—
Angel Saunders,
PEOPLE,
9 June 2026
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This year, owing to a mixup in the congressional budget, one of the government’s most important scholarships was left severely underfunded, depriving thousands of Peru’s neediest high-school graduates of the opportunity to continue their studies at local universities.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Use something that contains hydrating ingredients and is mild and fragrance-free, to avoid allergic reactions and stripping the natural oils that help maintain skin's barrier function.—
Kelle Walsh,
NPR,
18 June 2026
-
Sirianni responded by stripping first-year defensive coordinator Sean Desai of play-calling responsibilities and replacing him with senior defensive assistant Matt Patricia, a former Lions head coach.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
16 June 2026
Verb
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In his view, the administration is effectively expropriating the decision-making power of owners and handing it to the state.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dispossessing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dispossessing. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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