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
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Recent Examples of usurping
He has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with the sheriff and of usurping her authority, leading the county Board of Supervisors to eliminate his position in November 2024.
—
Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Besides, usurping Jinkx Monsoon for Miss Piggy would fan the ferocious flames of backstage drama and turmoil (hmmm … Smash season-three idea).
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
Can a President break that compact, without consequence, usurping police powers that were never his to begin with?
—Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2025
Unfortunately, mid-rehearsal, their mother, Rose (an absolutely magnificent McDonald), comes thundering onto the stage, usurping Jocko’s leadership and sucking up all of the air into the room.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Dec. 2024
For instance, one of his first actions was to fund the Al-Jazeera Arabic satellite television station, allowing Qatar to set the agenda on TV screens from Casablanca to Cairo, usurping the role once played by state information ministries.
—Allen Fromherz / Made By History, TIME, 30 Sep. 2024
Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 19 Sep. 2025
Besides, usurping Jinkx Monsoon for Miss Piggy would fan the ferocious flames of backstage drama and turmoil (hmmm … Smash season-three idea).
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2025
Can a President break that compact, without consequence, usurping police powers that were never his to begin with?
—Cristian Farias, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2025
Unfortunately, mid-rehearsal, their mother, Rose (an absolutely magnificent McDonald), comes thundering onto the stage, usurping Jocko’s leadership and sucking up all of the air into the room.
—Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 20 Dec. 2024
For instance, one of his first actions was to fund the Al-Jazeera Arabic satellite television station, allowing Qatar to set the agenda on TV screens from Casablanca to Cairo, usurping the role once played by state information ministries.
—Allen Fromherz / Made By History, TIME, 30 Sep. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurping
Verb
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The incidents highlight the contortions of the Taliban four years after seizing power of Afghanistan.—
NPR,
NPR,
14 Oct. 2025
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Polymarket for its part has drawn in younger users with a better platform and by seizing upon the pandemic-era gambling trend especially prevalent in Gen Z men—not to mention with a little help from a newly friendly regulatory environment.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Venezuelan leader, who is accused of stealing last year’s election, was further sidelined diplomatically after the country’s main opposition figure María Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize last week.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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Santos was charged in 2023 with stealing from donors and his campaign, fraudulently collecting unemployment benefits and lying to Congress about his wealth.—
Philip Marcelo,
Fortune,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Witnesses claimed that after France’s embarrassing loss to Haiti, the French government retaliated by confiscating Ferdinand’s belongings and abandoning the child to an orphanage.—
Marlene L. Daut
September 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
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Even confiscating half would barely register against a $6 trillion federal budget.—
Sally Pipes,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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SpaceX was also famously involved in funding and operating the headline-grabbing Polaris Dawn crewed commercial mission in September 2024.—
Eric Lagatta,
AZCentral.com,
17 Oct. 2025
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This could mean opting for non-cocoa items or grabbing a treat with filler that is not 100% cocoa.—
Liz Regalia,
Parents,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Upon boarding, the user found a mother and her roughly 1-year-old infant occupying the middle and window seats.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
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Videos and images circulating on social media show BASE jumpers leaping from El Capitan, unauthorized campers occupying closed campgrounds, and climbers scaling Half Dome’s cables without permits — all in violation of park regulations.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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According to court documents and statements made on the record, the DA's office alleged Jacob messaged his father on the evening of July 31, claiming Donald was assaulting him.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
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Lorincz, who is white, hated loud noise, and called police and first responders multiple times over the years claiming the children were trespassing, bothersome, threatening, and a nuisance.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
17 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Antoine Semenyo’s finish did come as part of a counter-attacking sequence, but the 25-year-old was able to get across Robertson too easily before converting first time from a David Brooks cross from the left flank.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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The 49ers trailed 7-3 at the time, with the Bucs converting an early Mac Jones interception into a short-field score by White on a 2-yard run.—
Jerry McDonald,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Usurping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurping. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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