as in seized
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
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of usurped
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in March upheld a complaint by Ukraine that Russia’s chess federation had usurped control of the game in areas of Ukraine captured by the Russian military.
—
CNN Money, 12 June 2026
James Purefoy plays King Randor, He-Man’s father and the previous ruler of Eternia who was usurped by Skeletor.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
Though its glam environs were eventually usurped by Hawaii’s many newer luxury resorts, an extensive renovation in 2008 gave the Mauna Kea an update without sacrificing its throwback charm.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 May 2026
After opting against pursuing a deal for Mike Maignan last summer, Chelsea have stuck with Robert Sanchez as No 1 — bar a brief spell where Filip Jorgensen usurped him in March.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 21 May 2026
That could impact the situation of Clarke, who outplayed Doughty and usurped his former position on the power play but logged fewer minutes at right defense just the same.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 2 May 2026
Vodka had overtaken gin in popularity by 1967, but by 2000 had fully usurped it, like Claudius to King Hamlet—occupied its position, married its wife, and taken control of its lands.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2026
In other words, the apparatus that became the modern movie camera, up until digital technology usurped the role that film cameras played in capturing the first 100 years of filmmaking.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026
Most of those lands were eventually usurped for European farming and their inhabitants dispersed.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
CNN Money, 12 June 2026
James Purefoy plays King Randor, He-Man’s father and the previous ruler of Eternia who was usurped by Skeletor.
—Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 6 June 2026
Though its glam environs were eventually usurped by Hawaii’s many newer luxury resorts, an extensive renovation in 2008 gave the Mauna Kea an update without sacrificing its throwback charm.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 24 May 2026
After opting against pursuing a deal for Mike Maignan last summer, Chelsea have stuck with Robert Sanchez as No 1 — bar a brief spell where Filip Jorgensen usurped him in March.
—Cerys Jones, New York Times, 21 May 2026
That could impact the situation of Clarke, who outplayed Doughty and usurped his former position on the power play but logged fewer minutes at right defense just the same.
—Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 2 May 2026
Vodka had overtaken gin in popularity by 1967, but by 2000 had fully usurped it, like Claudius to King Hamlet—occupied its position, married its wife, and taken control of its lands.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 21 Mar. 2026
In other words, the apparatus that became the modern movie camera, up until digital technology usurped the role that film cameras played in capturing the first 100 years of filmmaking.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026
Most of those lands were eventually usurped for European farming and their inhabitants dispersed.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurped
Verb
-
Fans inside the packed stadium in Inglewood, California, roared as the USMNT seized an early advantage.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2026
-
During the operation, officials seized multiple amounts of drugs and several boxes containing fireworks.—
Chelsea Hylton,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Local residents and business owners said Israeli forces had later returned to the area and confiscated all CCTV recordings.—
Jeremy Diamond,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
-
But any noise-making devices such as vuvuzelas, air horns and whistles will be confiscated.—
Laurence Miedema,
Mercury News,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Cameron Brink added 15 points off the bench and Dearica Hamby grabbed 10 rebounds for the Sparks (6-6) in the Commissioner’s Cup game.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
-
Cameron Brink added 15 points off the bench, Erica Wheeler scored 10 and Dearica Hamby grabbed 10 rebounds for the Sparks (6-6) in the Commissioner’s Cup game.—
Daily News,
Daily News,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Marsh walked and stole second before Bryce Harper drew a walk.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
17 June 2026
-
Tree will remain standing Sherwood Forest, near Nottingham, in central England, is the traditional hideout of Robin Hood, a legendary outlaw who stole from the rich to give to the poor, while living in the forest to evade his nemesis, the Sheriff of Nottingham.—
Sam Peters,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
As the name implies, these sensors are designed to detect whether the room is occupied.—
Timothy Dale,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 June 2026
-
Estuardo Mazariegos and Jose Ugarte will vie for the District 9 council seat that is currently occupied by Curren Price, and Tim Gaspar and Barri Worth Girvan will square off for the District 3 seat held by incumbent Bob Blumenfield.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
The two converted the original bedroom into a workspace, and the home office became the primary bedroom.—
Aditi Sharma,
Architectural Digest,
13 June 2026
-
If the xAI stake converted into SpaceX shares, market-tracking estimates based on the SpaceX's market capitalization on Friday suggest the investment could show a paper gain of as much as $150,000 — nearly a full year of McClain's $174,000 congressional salary.—
Luke Fountain,
CNBC,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Chicagoans have a deep reverence for the thick, unique pizza style, and Cornell and Stevenson said visitors from the Windy City have claimed Zelda’s is the most authentic version of the pie in California.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
-
Court documents allege Evergreen Grocery and Deli claimed to have served more than 3,000 meals twice daily, seven days a week.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
It was appropriated a decade ago as a signal for white supremacy that started as a hoax on the far-right online message board 4chan.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
15 June 2026
-
Last fiscal year, the county appropriated nearly $500 million to cover possible payouts on claims from fire victims of the Airport fire.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Usurped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurped. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
