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
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
James Purefoy plays King Randor, He-Man’s father and the previous ruler of Eternia who was usurped by Skeletor.
—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
6 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
After opting against pursuing a deal for Mike Maignan last summer, Chelsea have stuck with Robert Sanchez as No 1 — bar a brief spell where Filip Jorgensen usurped him in March.
—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
21 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
In other words, the apparatus that became the modern movie camera, up until digital technology usurped the role that film cameras played in capturing the first 100 years of filmmaking.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Most of those lands were eventually usurped for European farming and their inhabitants dispersed.
—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
James Purefoy plays King Randor, He-Man’s father and the previous ruler of Eternia who was usurped by Skeletor.
—
Keith Langston,
PEOPLE,
6 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
After opting against pursuing a deal for Mike Maignan last summer, Chelsea have stuck with Robert Sanchez as No 1 — bar a brief spell where Filip Jorgensen usurped him in March.
—
Cerys Jones,
New York Times,
21 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
In other words, the apparatus that became the modern movie camera, up until digital technology usurped the role that film cameras played in capturing the first 100 years of filmmaking.
—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
Most of those lands were eventually usurped for European farming and their inhabitants dispersed.
—
Britannica Editors,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurped
Verb
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Merchandise including counterfeit perfumes, Rolex watches, knockoff Knicks apparel, sunglasses, electronics and Labubus were seized, in addition to $145,000 in cash, police said.
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Barely six months ago, US special forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from Caracas in a daring and deadly raid.
Verb
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Abu Safiya also had his eyeglasses confiscated during his detainment and since been experiencing vision issues, according to Abbas.
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The prisoners were at one point given life jackets, but they were later confiscated after guards found them being used as pillows, the court document said.
Verb
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This is just one in a sweaty dungeon of hundreds of TikTok videos that show women being stalked, grabbed, tortured, tossed to the ground, and handcuffed by scary masked soldiers.
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Her mother asked what had just happened, and the girl related that Spencer had grabbed her.
Verb
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Joshua Serad, of Maple Shade, stole and damaged Pride flags Monday in the business district of Haddonfield on Kings Highway, according to police.
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Fudd followed with a go-ahead layup that put Dallas up 111-110 before Jessica Shepard stole the ball, and Aziaha James capped the scoring with a free throw to end it.
Verb
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Since 1947, the brand has occupied a singular place in the cultural imagination, fusing art, engineering and speed into something that transcends the automobile.
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Some are occupied, and some are not.
Verb
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As bananas ripen, much of that resistant starch is converted into natural sugars.
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Should his contract be converted to a standard one mid-season, the Pacers could still ink him to a rookie minimum deal and get the benefits of the lower salary that the second-round provides.
Verb
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The woman claimed that the street vendor had thrown the Mexican seasoning — Tajin — on her face.
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Iran has not claimed responsibility.
Verb
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According to Dallas, City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert may negotiate pre-development agreements on prospective sites and has appropriated up to $3 million in funds for that work.
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Federal officials have allocated millions of dollars to the project through the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, while Congress appropriated $40 million last year to purchase statues.
Cite this Entry
“Usurped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurped. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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