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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of usurp
Team Cherry The Pale King usurped the ruling deity, the Radiance, a god of light who shines in contrast to the Abyss, a primordial force of darkness that is represented by Void.
—
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Mamoru Hosoda’s anime riff on Hamlet gives us a princess of Denmark hell-bent on killing the uncle who usurped the crown from her beloved dad.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2025
But there are fears that the technology will usurp opportunities for people looking to break into the field.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Mamoru Hosoda’s anime riff on Hamlet gives us a princess of Denmark hell-bent on killing the uncle who usurped the crown from her beloved dad.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2025
But there are fears that the technology will usurp opportunities for people looking to break into the field.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurp
Verb
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According to Rolling Stone, Watkins was first arrested in September 2012 after police officers seized a large number of mobile phones and storage devices after conducting a drug search warrant at his home in Pontypridd, a town in Wales.—
Giana Levy,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
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Polymarket for its part has drawn in younger users with a better platform and by seizing upon the pandemic-era gambling trend especially prevalent in Gen Z men—not to mention with a little help from a newly friendly regulatory environment.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Retailers who break the order could face a $500 fine per day if the products are still offered for sale, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture will have the authority to confiscate any of the products.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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In his work recovering brands that hold emotional and nostalgic value for Cubans — many of which were created by businesses confiscated by the Cuban regime after 1959 — Haber has just launched Guayabita del Pinar in Miami.—
Sarah Moreno,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Of course, due to all of these developments, everyone finally knows that the man who kidnapped Sam and stole the dope is Robbie Pendergrast.—
Grace Byron,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
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But their double life gets complicated when a rival boy band harboring a sinister secret starts to steal their fans.—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The ball popped up in the air and Bolton was there to grab it, except he was hit by teammate Drue Tranquill.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
7 Oct. 2025
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Sasaki was the necessary answer on Monday night, coming in to secure the final out and avoid disaster as Freddie Freeman sprawled out to grab Tommy Edman’s final throw to first base.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The plan also states that Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza, something which has been speculated amid Israel’s offensive within the territory.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
9 Oct. 2025
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Birch said the Tech Park, which now fills three buildings in the 400 block of Main Street, picked up another tenant in the past couple of weeks and the park is about 70% occupied.—
Sydney Sasser,
Arkansas Online,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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His meteoric rise captures how Silicon Valley converts zeitgeist into capital—and how that, in turn, can be parlayed into influence.—
Sharon Goldman,
Fortune,
8 Oct. 2025
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Adenstar was involved in the building work to convert Withdean Stadium — then an athletics track — into a stadium temporarily fit for fourth-tier football as the club aimed to return to Brighton.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Usurp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurp. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
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