Synonyms of supplant

supplant

verb

sə-ˈplant 

as in to replace

to take the place of

old traditions that were fading away and being supplanted by modern ways

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonym Chooser

How is the word supplant distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of supplant are displace, replace, and supersede. While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," 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

When is it sensible to use displace instead of supplant?

Although the words displace and supplant have much in common, displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

When could replace be used to replace supplant?

In some situations, the words replace and supplant are roughly equivalent. However, replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate.

replaced the broken window

When can supersede be used instead of supplant?

The words supersede and supplant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of supplant

More than just a glorified search engine or a generator of video clips and novelty images, AI could fill roads with driverless trucks, create factories staffed by robots and supplant office workers, lawyers and doctors. — ABC News, 25 June 2026

The stand-alone Department of Gun Violence Reduction would supplant the existing mayoral Office of Community Safety, putting under the new department’s control $100 million worth of programs currently handled by other city fiefdoms. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026

Electricity replaced whale oil; automobiles supplanted horses; calculators replaced slide rules, and then spreadsheets replaced calculators. — Jessica Melugin, Sun Sentinel, 25 June 2026

The Media Player in Windows 11 is new, supplanting the older Groove app. — Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine, 23 June 2026