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that edition of the dictionary that you have has been superseded by a more recent one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

Physicists had spent billions of euros building the 27-kilometer supercollider not only to confirm the Standard Model but also to supersede it by uncovering components of a more complete theory of nature. —Quanta Magazine, 26 Jan. 2026

Two months later, in January 2023, the government filed a superseding indictment, adding obstruction of justice to Puig’s charges. —Sam Blum, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026

In October 2024, however, federal prosecutors released a superseding indictment charging Wedding with running a criminal enterprise, cocaine trafficking and murder in an operation stretching across the US, Canada, Mexico and Colombia. —Josh Campbell, CNN Money, 23 Jan. 2026

His persona had superseded reality for me. —Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2026

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