as in seizes
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
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Recent Examples of usurps
Jokic usurps Nurkic Jusuf Nurkic became Jokic’s first backup center in unceremonious fashion, getting benched by Michael Malone 25 games into his third season.
—
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 20 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurps
Verb
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The slender but powerful book takes place over the course of a week, when Ma’s plans are suddenly imperiled while Boomba seizes the chance to make up for his past mistakes and help his family.—
Stuart Miller,
Oc Register,
22 Dec. 2025
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In the novel, Joan Goodwin, a physics professor with a lifelong love of the stars, seizes the chance to join NASA’s first class of women astronauts and soon finds friendship, passion, and purpose among her fellow trainees.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
20 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Milwaukee Marshall High School confiscates a student’s phone until the end of the day for a first offense, requires a parent pickup after a second offense and issues an automatic suspension for repeat violations.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But as the ball arrives the defender grabs the jersey with the right hand and pulls the defender down.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Jan. 2026
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As one officer grabs at her door handle, a third officer who had circled to the front of the SUV from the opposite side draws his gun.—
Bill Chappell,
NPR,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Oscar Isaac plays the pompous Victor Frankenstein, though Jacob Elordi steals the movie as the tragic and eloquent Creature.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
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The Traverse Wine Coast has something special in every season, but autumn steals the show when the hills light up with color and harvest season brings the grapes in from the vines.—
Iona Brannon,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The property occupies a sizable 6,868-square-foot lot.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
7 Jan. 2026
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Hisense says cyan occupies a part of the spectrum where the human eye is especially sensitive, allowing the panel to render smoother gradients, more realistic tones and subtler transitions without oversaturation.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) preempts states from enacting laws that conflict with ERISA on regulated benefit plans.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Story editing is a form of self-talk that preempts your under-estimator from seizing control with its bludgeoning feedback.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The lawsuit argues the freeze violated federal law, including the Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional limits on executive power and how Congress appropriates funds.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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The state appropriates funds for the voucher program at the beginning of the fiscal year and then seeks federal reimbursement.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Usurps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurps. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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