as in seized
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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Recent Examples of usurped
Many printers and news businesses were created, usurped or exchanged hands frequently during the 1910s era.
—
Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Look at how Taco Tuesday is circling the drain because the tariffs of President TrumpAlwaysChickensOut have usurped every other day of the week.
—Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
But the Blue Devils have been usurped by Long Island, as the Sharks have raced out to a 10-1 start in the league.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
Whatever preference the players have not to grow the schedule is usurped by their priority to grow their wallet.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
And though preseason predictions pegged Marty Supreme as Gwyneth Paltrow’s big Oscar comeback, Odessa A’zion’s performance as a girlfriend with gumption has usurped the Goopster’s buzz.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026
Trump has usurped Capitol Hill's Constitutional powers on spending money and waging war.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 17 Jan. 2026
Ekitike is usurped by a man who cost his new club nothing in terms of a transfer fee.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Vintage fiberglass end chairs and a pair of cushy benches usurped the traditional dining set.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2026
Michael James Rocha, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026
Look at how Taco Tuesday is circling the drain because the tariffs of President TrumpAlwaysChickensOut have usurped every other day of the week.
—Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2026
But the Blue Devils have been usurped by Long Island, as the Sharks have raced out to a 10-1 start in the league.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
Whatever preference the players have not to grow the schedule is usurped by their priority to grow their wallet.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Feb. 2026
And though preseason predictions pegged Marty Supreme as Gwyneth Paltrow’s big Oscar comeback, Odessa A’zion’s performance as a girlfriend with gumption has usurped the Goopster’s buzz.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 21 Jan. 2026
Trump has usurped Capitol Hill's Constitutional powers on spending money and waging war.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 17 Jan. 2026
Ekitike is usurped by a man who cost his new club nothing in terms of a transfer fee.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Vintage fiberglass end chairs and a pair of cushy benches usurped the traditional dining set.
—Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurped
Verb
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Against the odds, Ukraine managed to repel the initial Russian attack on Kyiv and, within a few months, took back large swaths of land originally seized by Moscow.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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In October 2022, two months after FBI agents seized boxes of materials from his Mar-a-Lago home, the then-former president questioned a president’s or former president’s legal authority to declassify sensitive information.—
Catherina Gioino,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Last month, the FBI raided a Georgia election office and confiscated hundreds of boxes of material from the 2020 election.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Her employee badge, keys and computer were confiscated, according to the memo.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Moroney, who sang covers, grabbed her guitar and riled up the crowd.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026
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The woman, who is listed as a current or former girlfriend of Fleming’s, first petitioned for a court order against him in January 2025, alleging that Fleming had grabbed her by her scarf and used it to choke her, and threatened her for spreading rumors about him.—
Zareen Syed,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Pullman also stole from the union on his own, the office said, using his position debit card to pay for items like a vacation to Miami and lunch of champagne and caviar in New York with his then-girlfriend.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The story follows Jean Valjean, an embittered convict who stole bread to feed his sister’s starving family.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
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With a 10,000-square foot spa (the first true spa in the region), buzzy bar scene, and stellar restaurants, the property ensures even non-skiers will keep occupied.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
20 Feb. 2026
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Additionally, Putin wants Kyiv to withdraw its forces from the four eastern regions Moscow has occupied but doesn't fully control.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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About 60,000 street lights are eligible to be converted to solar, according to Yaroslavsky.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Critics across the political spectrum have argued that repeatedly extending the emergency effectively converted a disaster-response reserve into a standing funding stream for immigration policy.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His character was killed off early in Season 9 after a devastating Season 8 plane crash that also claimed the life of Leigh’s Lexie.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Survivors of the catastrophic avalanche in California's Sierra Nevada that claimed at least eight lives were rescued after using an emergency feature available on some iPhones.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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While the executive branch oversees the appointments of the center's board of trustees, Congress has the ultimate say on what money gets appropriated and what projects get approved.—
Nathan Lee,
ABC News,
11 Feb. 2026
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Democratic state lawmakers appropriated $30 million more than the $60 million Newsom called for in his budget.—
Andrew Graham,
Sacbee.com,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Usurped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurped. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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