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
In September, the company's Cofounder and Chairman Larry Ellison briefly usurped Elon Musk as the world's richest person, according to a Bloomberg ranking, with a majority of the 81-year-old’s $400 billion net worth tied to Oracle.
—
Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025
As Craigslist, Google, and Facebook usurped most of what newspapers counted on for ad revenue, my beloved industry cratered in all but the urban power centers.
—Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
The news comes as the Cybertruck was recently usurped from its position as America's best-selling electric pickup truck in the first quarter of 2025.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 14 Sep. 2025
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
Resentment soon starts needling away at them as Theo goes over budget and Ivy feels her role as a mother has been usurped — the kids are now too health-conscious even to touch her desserts.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
However, Matheus Nunes had usurped him at right-back towards the end of the season and he was left out of the FA Cup final squad.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Claudia Levens, jsonline.com, 22 Oct. 2025
As Craigslist, Google, and Facebook usurped most of what newspapers counted on for ad revenue, my beloved industry cratered in all but the urban power centers.
—Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025
The news comes as the Cybertruck was recently usurped from its position as America's best-selling electric pickup truck in the first quarter of 2025.
—Will McCurdy, PC Magazine, 14 Sep. 2025
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
Resentment soon starts needling away at them as Theo goes over budget and Ivy feels her role as a mother has been usurped — the kids are now too health-conscious even to touch her desserts.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
However, Matheus Nunes had usurped him at right-back towards the end of the season and he was left out of the FA Cup final squad.
—David Ornstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurped
Verb
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Gianluca Consentino drilled the go-ahead extra point try, and Avon Old Farms had seized a 29-28 lead with 63 ticks left.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
26 Oct. 2025
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What’s more, after the Velvet Revolution of 1989, Czechs who had their property seized by the state were allowed to reclaim much of it through a restitution system – but not ethnic Germans who lost it under the post-war Benes decrees.—
Will Tizard,
Variety,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Victoria discussed payment, methods, and timing in messages discovered on a phone that was eventually confiscated from Amato by security guards.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
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Ogles’ phone was confiscated by the FBI in 2024.—
Vivian Jones,
Nashville Tennessean,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the third quarter, as the Lakers grabbed firm control of the game, Deandre Ayton ignited the crowd by attacking the basket with force.—
Dan Woike,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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The teen said Cairo then ordered him to get down on his knees, and at one point grabbed his shoulder in an attempt to push him to the ground – ultimately leaving him feeling threatened, according to WPTV.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Just hours before the thieves quietly stole the historic coins, four chainsaw-wielding thieves broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris using a ladder boosted by a mechanical boom truck to force a window open at the famed museum and steal millions of dollars worth of jewelry.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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Boasting a skinny heel and pointy toe, Williams’ patent leather heels stole the spotlight at the event, which was held at the Campoamor Theater in Oviedo, Spain.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Footwear News,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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One of them was used in an attack on the bridge linking Russia and occupied Crimea in June, the SBU said.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
25 Oct. 2025
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Today, many of them are occupied by a variety of shops, cafes, and antique markets just waiting to be explored.—
Erika Ebsworth-Goold,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The White House first added its storied screening room during the fourth term of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1942, when the East Terrace's cloakroom was converted into a theater.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
24 Oct. 2025
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On the environmental front, the 2030 goals are equally ambitious—80 percent emissions reduction, 30 percent of raw material waste converted into circular loops, and ecosystem restoration.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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As for the rest, Derby rallied to finish a remarkable third (eventually losing to Queens Park Rangers in the play-off final), while Middlesbrough (12th), Bolton (14th) and Wednesday (16th) claimed a respectable mid-table berth.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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Accompanied by her young son Israel, Owens went across the street to Lorincz's residence that evening to retrieve a tablet Israel claimed that Lorincz, who'd repeatedly hassled and called the police on the neighborhood children for years, had stolen from him.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The move marks a dramatic break from the government's process to fund the military, which relies on funding appropriated from Congress.—
Joey Garrison,
USA Today,
25 Oct. 2025
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Supporters estimate the tax could generate approximately $100 billion in revenue, which could begin being appropriated in 2027.—
Daniel Orton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Usurped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurped. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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