as in takeover
the unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority
the unexpected usurpation of power by the government resulted in the townspeople revolting
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Recent Examples of usurpation
Those laws sought to alter the reporting structure for the secretary or the directors in violation of Amendment 33 of the Arkansas Constitution, which protects the vested powers of constitutional boards, like the Board of Corrections, from usurpation by the governor, the General Assembly or both.
—
Arkansas Online, 18 May 2026
This is an ancient practice that continues into the Middle Ages called usurpation.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
The Court’s usurpation runs deeper than the invalidation of statutes with a liberal cast, though there has been plenty of that.
—Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
As Isaac told it, his kingdom’s history is rife with treachery, usurpation, and murder.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Arkansas Online, 18 May 2026
This is an ancient practice that continues into the Middle Ages called usurpation.
—Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2026
The Court’s usurpation runs deeper than the invalidation of statutes with a liberal cast, though there has been plenty of that.
—Duncan Hosie, The Atlantic, 13 Jan. 2026
As Isaac told it, his kingdom’s history is rife with treachery, usurpation, and murder.
—Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurpation
Noun
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The backstory The Artist opened in 2024 as a takeover of the Gran Hotel Domine, a hotel that was built in 2002 following the museum’s inauguration in 1997.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
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Like Ernest Hemingway’s description of bankruptcy, Off Campus’s takeover of my phone happened gradually, then all at once.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Noun
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The House will vote on a resolution expressing support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, a war powers resolution pulling troops from Lebanon and one of 12 appropriations bills.—
Adam Beam,
AJC.com,
4 June 2026
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On January 23, just days before the funding cutoff, Norton’s office posted on Facebook that a new appropriations package for the Smithsonian included funding for the Anacostia Community Museum.—
Camille Borders,
The Atlantic,
3 June 2026
Noun
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Detecting a seizure The technology proved especially valuable during one of Grayson's emergency room visits.—
Nicky Zizaza,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
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The seizure in Australia included two different species, dubia cockroaches and Madagascar hissing cockroaches.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
Noun
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Eric Lutzens/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images Since then, the family has been working on the annexation and zoning for a new location in the Town of Hudson.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
6 June 2026
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These range from narratives on the current status of Crimea and justifications for the war in Ukraine to the history of NATO and justification for Russia’s annexation of Baltic states during World War II.—
Kyle Orland,
ArsTechnica,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Usurpation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurpation. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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