Synonyms of replace

replace

verb

ri-ˈplās 

1

as in to supersede

to take the place of

the old street lights were replaced by more energy-efficient models

Synonyms & Similar Words

• supersede
• supplant
• substitute
• relieve
• displace
• displant
• usurp
• cut out
• preempt

2

as in to return

to bring, send, or put back to a former or proper place

took the fragile vase down to look at it and then gently replaced it on the shelf

Synonyms & Similar Words

• return
• restore
• reconvey

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• take
• remove

Synonym Chooser

How is the word replace distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of replace are displace, supersede, and supplant. While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate.

replaced the broken window

When is it sensible to use displace instead of replace?

The words displace and replace are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

When would supersede be a good substitute for replace?

While the synonyms supersede and replace are close in meaning, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

In what contexts can supplant take the place of replace?

The synonyms supplant and replace are sometimes interchangeable, but supplant implies either a dispossessing or usurping of another's place, possessions, or privileges or an uprooting of something and its replacement with something else.

was abruptly supplanted in her affections by another

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of replace

He has been replaced by Joe Potts who was at Liverpool women for four years. —Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2025

Salesforce has cut 4,000 customer support jobs and replaced them with artificial intelligence agents, CEO Marc Benioff said recently. —Staff, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2025

This means their initial cost can be offset by replacing conventional building materials and labor. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025

The developer went on to raze DeLuise’s outdated 1950s house and replace it with the modern mansion now on the market. —Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 6 Sep. 2025