Thesaurus results for USURPING

usurping

verb

present participle of usurp

as in seizing

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 usurping One of the things that's gone really wrong in America is this gas station/convenience store/fast food restaurant that is usurping small town America. —

Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026 By January 2025, Szczesny had become manager Hansi Flick’s No 1 choice in goal, putting together a string of solid performances and usurping Inaki Pena in the role. —

Pol Ballús, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 This would seem to challenge the notion that AI usurping human skills will democratize them—for instance, by broadening who is able to contribute meaningfully to math’s advancement. —

Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 16 Mar. 2026 Callie is popular and vivacious, perpetually surrounded by admirers and various hangers-on (Audrey Grace Marshall’s Cara is hellbent on usurping Minnie’s place in Callie’s life, while her himbo-esque boyfriend Brad is given wonderful dimension through Beck Nolan’s sneaky-good performance). —

Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2026 He is now engaged in an ongoing insurrection by violating the Constitution, exceeding his lawful authorities, usurping Congress, and encouraging Republican states to manipulate voting districts and procedures. —

Washington Post, 3 Feb. 2026 The War of the Two Caesars also serves as a nice mirror for everything going down with the Brotherhood, Elder Cleric Quintus still hellbent on usurping the Commonwealth despite the arrival of Kumail Nanjiani’s Paladin Xander Harkness, an emissary from that neck of the woods. —

Jack King, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2025 Over time, her biological daughters would number in the thousands, usurping the colony until none of the original species remained. —

CNN Money, 17 Nov. 2025 Vought has exerted extraordinary control over government spending this year, usurping congressional decisions on how the nation's money is used. —

Amy Maxmen, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurping

Verb

Her business is seizing the moment as AI radically transforms workflows, including that of lawyers, but her initial passion for the career came much earlier in life.

— Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026
Targeting property Iran’s judiciary has begun seizing the property of public figures critical of the country’s rulers, under an anti-espionage law approved during last year’s 12-day war with Israel that punishes media and cultural activities deemed to support Iran’s enemies.

— Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026