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
After witnessing Sinner miss 16 break points against the same opponent on Friday, Alcaraz would have been forgiven for worrying that something similar might happen to him — especially against arguably tennis’s greatest escape artist, at least until the Spaniard usurps him.
—
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
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
Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurps
Verb
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Trump seizes America’s 250th-birthday spotlight, headlining the Great American State Fair, hosting a UFC bout at the White House and promoting new passports, $250 bills and coins bearing his image.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
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Ellie brings up the salad and seizes the opportunity to take credit for her part in making lunch.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
26 May 2026
Verb
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The children designated as Palestinians, meanwhile, have their drawings torn up and are relegated to small corners of the classroom while the teacher confiscates their candy.—
Robert Schmad,
The Washington Examiner,
26 Nov. 2025
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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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Kennedy then pins the snake’s head and grabs it by the mouth, avoiding any potential venomous bites.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
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Davis grabs two suitcases off the belt, pulls out a handheld computer that looks like an extra-rugged iPad, and scans the bar codes on the luggage tags.—
Joel Rose,
NPR,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Also for Task, Ingelsby required another actor to match Ruffalo and play Robbie, a thief who only steals for criminals.—
Justin Kroll,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
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But Borgo Egnazia steals the show.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Jeans, of course, still occupies an important space in most fashion editors' summer wardrobes, though white jeans and light-weight denim make it to the top of the pile while black and gray jeans in more rigid denim are often reserved for nights out at a bar.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
6 June 2026
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Recent research puts the city’s waterfront premium near 120%, a figure that helps explain why the most direct version of harborside living occupies such a coveted and pricey category.—
Spencer Elliott,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Verb
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While the county’s charter outlines that vacancies would be replaced by the Board of County Commissioners, Florida law preempts the charter.—
Ryan Gillespie,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 May 2026
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Now, Supreme Court justices will weigh in on whether federal pesticide law preempts state-level claims.—
Christiana Freitag,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The bill appropriates $495 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.—
Carrie Brandon Elliot,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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The state appropriates within its budget to ensure bond holders know the state has the money, but the state hasn’t had to use that money because the admissions tax and tax district have funded the bond, Huston said.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Usurps.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurps. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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