displace
verb
dis·place
(ˌ)dis-ˈplās 
di-ˈsplās
displaced; displacing; displaces
1
a
: to remove from the usual or proper place
specifically
: to expel or force to flee from home or homeland
displaced persons
b
: to remove from an office, status, or job
c
obsolete
: to drive out : banish
2
a
: to move physically out of position
a floating object displaces water
b
: to take the place of (as in a chemical reaction) : supplant
Examples of displace in a Sentence
The war has displaced thousands of people.
The hurricane displaced most of the town's residents.
The closing of the factory has displaced many workers.
farming practices that displace large amounts of soil
Recent Examples on the Web
Today, Venezuela is the source of the largest exodus in Latin American history and the second-largest refugee crisis in the world outside of war, with nearly 8 million people displaced.
—
Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2025
Zimbabwe’s global image suffered after controversial land reforms more than two decades ago displaced more 4,000 white farmers to redistribute land to about 300,000 Black families, according to government figures.
—Farai Mutsaka, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
The fire was contained to one ground-floor apartment, but the 16 occupants of the building were displaced.
—Ashley Fredde, Idaho Statesman, 21 Apr. 2025
My commitment is to bring the voices of the underserved into the decision-making space, champion smart development that doesn’t displace but uplifts, and build bridges between generations, communities, and sectors.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for displace
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.
Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2025
Zimbabwe’s global image suffered after controversial land reforms more than two decades ago displaced more 4,000 white farmers to redistribute land to about 300,000 Black families, according to government figures.
—Farai Mutsaka, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
The fire was contained to one ground-floor apartment, but the 16 occupants of the building were displaced.
—Ashley Fredde, Idaho Statesman, 21 Apr. 2025
My commitment is to bring the voices of the underserved into the decision-making space, champion smart development that doesn’t displace but uplifts, and build bridges between generations, communities, and sectors.
—Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for displace
Cite this Entry
“Displace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/displace. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
displace
verb
dis·place
(ˈ)dis-ˈplās
1
: to remove from a usual or proper place
especially
: to expel or force to flee from home or homeland
displaced persons
2
a
: to remove physically out of position
water displaced by a floating object
b
: to take the place of : replace
Medical Definition
displace
transitive verb
dis·place
(ˈ)dis-ˈplās
displaced; displacing
1
a
: to remove from the usual or proper place
in heterotopia the gray portions of the cord are displaced so that patches of gray matter are scattered among the bundles of white fibers—R. L. Cecil et al.
R. L. Cecil et al.
b
: to shift (an emotion or behavior) from a maladaptive or unacceptable object or form of outlet to a more adaptive or acceptable one
displace punishable behavior by directing it towards things that cannot punish—B. F. Skinner
B. F. Skinner2
: to set free from chemical combination by taking the place of
zinc displaces the hydrogen of dilute acids
3
: to subject to percolation
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share