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
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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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Season 2 also seizes on an obvious opportunity.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
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The team successfully seizes two tons of gold and apprehends the leader of the criminal network.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
14 Jan. 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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Video shows that in the seconds before Pretti is shot, the 37-year-old ICU nurse grabs the observer’s backpack when he is pulled to the ground by a group of agents.—
Yahya Abou-Ghazala,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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The officer grabs Pretti’s shirt at his chest, pulling him back toward the vehicle as Pretti’s arms flail.—
Michael Biesecker,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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If your boss repeatedly steals credit, your first move is not to react.—
Chris Lipp,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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When a ruthless despot steals a billion-dollar fortune, the team is sent to steal it back on what would be for anyone else a suicide mission.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
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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Texas passed a more restrained AI governance law that limits liability to intentional discrimination and preempts local regulation.—
Alonzo Martinez,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
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Office of Planning director Brian Davis noted that state law preempts local governments from imposing zoning restrictions on where federally licensed firearms dealers can do business.—
Killian Baarlaer,
Louisville Courier Journal,
15 Jan. 2026
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 1 Feb. 2026.
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