as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
the mayor usurped the school board's authority when he fired the principal
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of usurp
Plus, the Steelers allowed Najee Harris to walk via free agency, setting the stage for Johnson to potentially split carries with Jaylen Warren, if not usurp him.
—
Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
The complaint argued that the federal government was trying to institute a national ban on such care when Congress has not passed one, violating the 10th Amendment by trying to usurp the power of states that have not passed bans.
—Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2025
However, Matheus Nunes had usurped him at right-back towards the end of the season and he was left out of the FA Cup final squad.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
The complaint argued that the federal government was trying to institute a national ban on such care when Congress has not passed one, violating the 10th Amendment by trying to usurp the power of states that have not passed bans.
—Jo Yurcaba, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2025
However, Matheus Nunes had usurped him at right-back towards the end of the season and he was left out of the FA Cup final squad.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurp
Verb
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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
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In addition, several firearms and drugs were seized from other residences, according to police.—
Jack Moore,
ABC News,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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The boats were seized, the catch was confiscated by the government.—
Suwanna Gauntlett Upjohn,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Verb
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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
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Through the first week of September, Soto stole three bases.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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The owner wanted to keep the grab-and-go options previously offered in the space.—
La Risa R. Lynch,
jsonline.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The building had been occupied the last 41 years by Los Vaqueros, which started in a smaller location nearby.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Sep. 2025
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As the region’s megadrought continues, roaming mammals, like black bears and mountain lions, may start to occupy larger ranges, widening their territory in the search for water and other resources.—
John Leos,
AZCentral.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Initially powered by a water counterbalance system, it was soon converted to steam in 1886 and later electrified by 1915.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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More than 1,000 employees circumnavigate the bustling fifth floor Tempus office around an atrium that Lefkofsky said was a spiral parking ramp before the building — a National Historic Landmark that once housed the country’s oldest mail-order firm — was converted to tech space 25 years ago.—
Robert Channick,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Usurp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurp. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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