as in to seize
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 usurp
But there are fears that the technology will usurp opportunities for people looking to break into the field.
—
Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Resentment soon starts needling away at them as Theo goes over budget and Ivy feels her role as a mother has been usurped — the kids are now too health-conscious even to touch her desserts.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2025
Plus, the Steelers allowed Najee Harris to walk via free agency, setting the stage for Johnson to potentially split carries with Jaylen Warren, if not usurp him.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Resentment soon starts needling away at them as Theo goes over budget and Ivy feels her role as a mother has been usurped — the kids are now too health-conscious even to touch her desserts.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 25 Aug. 2025
Plus, the Steelers allowed Najee Harris to walk via free agency, setting the stage for Johnson to potentially split carries with Jaylen Warren, if not usurp him.
—Matthew Schmidt, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Just as cable was usurped by fibre.
—Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for usurp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurp
Verb
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The Dragons seized another possession with a fumble recovery from Parker Harris — that set up a 10-play scoring drive capped by a four-yard rushing score from Renda.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Sep. 2025
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At trial in December 2023, the jury found Jean — who owned homes in Wellington, Florida, and Long Island, New York, that were seized by authorities — guilty of conspiracy and four wire fraud counts.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Even confiscating half would barely register against a $6 trillion federal budget.—
Sally Pipes,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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Gordon allegedly brought two envelopes with 61 strips of Suboxone to an inmate at the Plymouth County Correctional Facility — which were then confiscated by officers and sent to a crime lab to be tested by a forensic analyst.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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How can someone steal from you and simply get away with it?—
Jennifer Jolly,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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Two innings later, Martin singled, stole second base and eventually scored the winning run in a ninth-inning comeback victory.—
Dan Hayes,
New York Times,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Plus, grab knife sets and a nifty electric can opener to streamline your cooking.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
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As Jey checked on Jimmy, LA Knight grabbed the steel chair and teased hitting Jey Uso.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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My father was a thirty-two-year-old tank commander who had crossed to occupied France shortly after D-Day, fought in the savage battle for Caen and then on through northern France.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Sep. 2025
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In other words, the festival space now occupies a similar footprint as the Kentucky State Fair, minus the South Wing and Freedom Hall.—
Kirby Adams,
Louisville Courier Journal,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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They were converted from firing nuclear missiles to conducting conventional land attacks and are armed with up to 154 Tomahawk missiles, each with a range of 1,000 miles.—
Ryan Chan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Sep. 2025
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Kickstarter supporters can also opt to have Nomad convert their current bike to an e-bike for $2,000.—
William Roberson,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Usurp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurp. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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