Synonyms of supersede

supersede

verb

ˌsü-pər-ˈsēd 

as in to replace

to take the place of

that edition of the dictionary that you have has been superseded by a more recent one

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word supersede distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of supersede are displace, replace, and supplant. While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

When is it sensible to use displace instead of supersede?

The synonyms displace and supersede are sometimes interchangeable, but displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

When can replace be used instead of supersede?

While the synonyms replace and supersede are close in meaning, replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate.

replaced the broken window

Where would supplant be a reasonable alternative to supersede?

The meanings of supplant and supersede largely overlap; however, 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 supersede

According to a superseding indictment filed last year, the organization operated from at least October 2023 through May 2025 and grew largely out of friendships developed through online gaming platforms. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2026

Now, this evolution culminates in the camera… A sacred spectacle that subtly supersedes the spiritual, where no other authority offers anything worth believing in but themselves. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026

The user's structural constraints must explicitly supersede the developer's default formatting templates. — New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026

Now, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed making this process permanent and potentially worse by having a political appointee review all grants before they are awarded, superseding the peer review process. — Abdullah Shihipar, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026

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