Thesaurus results for USURPED

usurped

verb

past tense of usurp

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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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of usurped The update indicated that Maersk is set to fall behind CMA CGM for second-largest container shipping capacity worldwide by July 2027, while Hapag-Lloyd could be usurped by Ocean Network Express (ONE) in February 2028. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 6 July 2026 Congress’s celebration, planned for a decade, has been usurped by the president’s celebration, funded by private donors and featuring a political speech by himself. — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 1 July 2026 The wedding broke the record for the largest single-location mass wedding at the time, until it was usurped in 2023, per Guinness World Records. — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 1 July 2026 However, the German has — 12 years after claiming the record from the Brazilian Ronaldo with his 16th World Cup goal — been usurped by Messi and, like so many before him, will have to settle for playing second fiddle to the 38-year-old Argentinian. — Will Jeanes, New York Times, 22 June 2026 The ‌Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in March upheld a complaint by Ukraine that Russia’s chess federation had usurped control of the game in areas of Ukraine captured by the Russian military. — CNN Money, 12 June 2026 Though its glam environs were eventually usurped by Hawaii’s many newer luxury resorts, an extensive renovation in 2008 gave the Mauna Kea an update without sacrificing its throwback charm. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 May 2026 That could impact the situation of Clarke, who outplayed Doughty and usurped his former position on the power play but logged fewer minutes at right defense just the same. — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 2 May 2026 Vodka had overtaken gin in popularity by 1967, but by 2000 had fully usurped it, like Claudius to King Hamlet—occupied its position, married its wife, and taken control of its lands. — Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurped

Verb

Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who voted against the proposal in mid-June, voiced fears that the list of noncitizen voters would immediately be seized by federal immigration authorities.

— Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Meanwhile, Russia’s military on Saturday claimed to have seized the city of Kostiantynivka, a key defensive hub in Ukraine’s eastern Donbas region.

— Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 4 July 2026

Definition of seized

Verb

In a case about Cuban property that was confiscated by Fidel Castro’s government more than 65 years ago, Kagan was the only justice to rule against the property owners.

— Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 11 July 2026
Smashed and confiscated Taliban authorities in Afghanistan have ordered government employees, judges, police and members of the military to stop using smartphones under a directive that took effect June 16.

— Fatima Faizi, NPR, 10 July 2026

Definition of confiscated

Verb

The victim followed the fleeing Jeep on foot and grabbed onto the vehicle when it got stuck in traffic, authorities said.

— Caelyn Pender, Mercury News, 16 July 2026
In September 2020, author Elin Hilderbrand grabbed a drink at the Nantucket Hotel bar with a visiting writer friend.

— Clarissa Cruz, Entertainment Weekly, 16 July 2026

Definition of grabbed

Verb

Since launching in 2019, the fair has occupied both the hotel’s poolside cabanas and suites on the upper floors.

— Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 14 July 2026
Though the wartime narrative appears to be swinging somewhat in Ukraine's favor, the country's cities remain under near-constant fire and Kyiv's forces do not appear able to liberate significant territory still occupied by Russian troops.

— David Brennan, ABC News, 14 July 2026

Definition of occupied

Verb

Bellingham scored two goals 98 seconds apart in the first half, and six minutes after Jarell Quansah was sent off, Kane converted a penalty to restore England’s two-goal lead.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
Half the elegant stable block (converted into a studio by Beaton) and a cozy dairy house remained.

— Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 5 July 2026

Definition of converted

Verb

Attorneys for the owners of the landfill, which stopped accepting trash last year, claimed this spring in the litigation that the lawsuits may be tainted by fraud.

— Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026
The lefty reliever whom the Cubs claimed off waivers in January is now one of the club’s success stories.

— Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of claimed

Verb

Sununu, who formerly served as governor of New Hampshire, urged Congress to find more money to overhaul the air traffic control system — on top of the billions lawmakers appropriated last year to upgrade communications and radar equipment.

— Joel Rose, NPR, 1 July 2026
The Legislature appropriated $5 million in one-time funding, so next year, lawmakers will have to decide whether to allocate additional money.

— Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 1 July 2026

Definition of appropriated

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usurped

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“Usurped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurped. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of usurped

verb

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