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
This novel of exile and memory chronicles the life of Sufien, a Palestinian man displaced as a child by the Nakba, whose story unfolds across continents and encompasses entanglements with a broad range of characters.
—
The New Yorker, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
The National Alliance to End Homelessness reports that cities relying on arrests and sweeps do not see long-term decreases in unsheltered homelessness because people are simply displaced into new areas rather than housed.
—Shianne Leclaire, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
There is no analogous player in this squad to Grimaldo; Marc Cucurella, the man who has displaced him in the Spain team, is positionally smart but a more effective off-ball runner than on-ball playmaker.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 17 May 2026
The agency said there’s also a risk of further spread due to intense population movement and attacks by armed groups that have killed dozens and displaced thousands in parts of Ituri in the past year.
—Chinedu Asadu, Fortune, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for displace
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The New Yorker, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
The National Alliance to End Homelessness reports that cities relying on arrests and sweeps do not see long-term decreases in unsheltered homelessness because people are simply displaced into new areas rather than housed.
—Shianne Leclaire, Hartford Courant, 17 May 2026
There is no analogous player in this squad to Grimaldo; Marc Cucurella, the man who has displaced him in the Spain team, is positionally smart but a more effective off-ball runner than on-ball playmaker.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 17 May 2026
The agency said there’s also a risk of further spread due to intense population movement and attacks by armed groups that have killed dozens and displaced thousands in parts of Ituri in the past year.
—Chinedu Asadu, Fortune, 17 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for displace
Cite this Entry
“Displace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/displace. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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
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