1
as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
dissidents were shot, and their lands expropriated under his regime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to evict
to end the occupancy or possession of
the state will have to expropriate scores of homeowners in order to build the new road
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to confiscate
to take ownership or control of (something) by right of one's authority
plans by the city to expropriate entire blocks of houses in order to bulldoze them for expansion of the airport
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 expropriate
The White minority that had subjugated and ruled the Black majority after expropriating their land, herding them into poor Bantustans and profiting from their cheap labor, would yield to democracy and a new constitution that would grant the right to vote to all South Africans.
—
Lydia Polgreen, Mercury News, 27 May 2025
The government now uses the law as a weapon to expropriate property from bona fide owners, including those previously seen as regime supporters.
—Andrei Yakovlev, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
His cardinal sin was nationalizing (not expropriating) the hugely profitable Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in 1951 which British Prime Minister Winston Churchill postulated was integral to the British Navy.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 15 May 2025
However, a law passed by South Africa earlier this year does not allow land to be expropriated without an agreement with the owner.
—Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for expropriate
Lydia Polgreen, Mercury News, 27 May 2025
The government now uses the law as a weapon to expropriate property from bona fide owners, including those previously seen as regime supporters.
—Andrei Yakovlev, Foreign Affairs, 16 May 2025
His cardinal sin was nationalizing (not expropriating) the hugely profitable Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in 1951 which British Prime Minister Winston Churchill postulated was integral to the British Navy.
—Bruce Fein, Baltimore Sun, 15 May 2025
However, a law passed by South Africa earlier this year does not allow land to be expropriated without an agreement with the owner.
—Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 12 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for expropriate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expropriate
Verb
-
That initial investigation led the HPD to obtain a search warrant to seize electronic devices from the property associated with the IP address of the cyber tip, and the department investigated online communications.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Sep. 2025
-
In addition, several firearms and drugs were seized from other residences, according to police.—
Jack Moore,
ABC News,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Perhaps she is not actually evicted.—
David Wysong,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Reilly failed to finish in her allotted 1 minute and 30 seconds and was immediately evicted.—
Marc Berman,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, 12-inch centipedes were also confiscated and the green mamba, which had been sick, died after the raid.—
TJ Macias,
Kansas City Star,
3 Sep. 2025
-
The boats were seized, the catch was confiscated by the government.—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
One of the late rock legend’s most specific spots in the chart annals has been usurped by the band Deftones, as the rockers are in the midst of one of what may be the group’s biggest week ever on the Billboard lists.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
Besides, usurping Jinkx Monsoon for Miss Piggy would fan the ferocious flames of backstage drama and turmoil (hmmm … Smash season-three idea).—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Rayner’s departure is another headache for the United Kingdom’s increasingly unpopular leader, Keir Starmer, and deprives his cabinet of one of its brightest political stars.—
Max Foster,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Others, such as the owners of the Firefox search engine, asserted that losing the Google contracts would threaten their future survival by depriving them of essential revenue.—
Michael Liedtke,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The bots would impersonate beneficiaries, using dates of birth and other information that can be found on the internet, to try to change the beneficiaries’ bank-routing information and steal their benefits.—
Eli Hager,
ProPublica,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Through the first week of September, Soto stole three bases.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
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
-
This time, Odegaard did some excellent defensive work to dispossess Matheus Cunha.—
James McNicholas,
New York Times,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Video surveillance from the scene posted online by Fox 11 shows a man lingering near a doorway, quickly grabbing the gift box from a table and running out of the venue.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The owner wanted to keep the grab-and-go options previously offered in the space.—
La Risa R. Lynch,
jsonline.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expropriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expropriate. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share