REPLACE Synonyms: 14 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'replace' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of replace are displace , supersede , and supplant . While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate. // replaced the broken window

Q: When is it sensible to use 'displace' instead of 'replace'?

The words displace and replace are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, displace implies an ousting or dislodging. // war had displaced thousands

Q: When would 'supersede' be a good substitute for 'replace'?

While the synonyms supersede and replace are close in meaning, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior. // the new edition supersedes all previous ones

Q: In what contexts can 'supplant' take the place of 'replace'?

The synonyms supplant and replace are sometimes interchangeable, but supplant implies either a dispossessing or usurping of another's place, possessions, or privileges or an uprooting of something and its replacement with something else. // was abruptly supplanted in her affections by another

replace

verb

ri-ˈplās

Definition of replace

as in to supersede

to take the place of the old street lights were replaced by more energy-efficient models

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in to return

to bring, send, or put back to a former or proper place took the fragile vase down to look at it and then gently replaced it on the shelf

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

take
remove

Synonym Chooser

How is the word replace distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of replace are displace, supersede, and supplant. While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate.

replaced the broken window

When is it sensible to use displace instead of replace?

The words displace and replace are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

When would supersede be a good substitute for replace?

While the synonyms supersede and replace are close in meaning, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

In what contexts can supplant take the place of replace?

The synonyms supplant and replace are sometimes interchangeable, but supplant implies either a dispossessing or usurping of another's place, possessions, or privileges or an uprooting of something and its replacement with something else.

was abruptly supplanted in her affections by another

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 replace Some of his prominent endorsements, including the special election to elevate Darline Graham to replace her late brother, Lindsey Graham, in the Senate, did win. — Jeff Mason, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026 The tackle game was replaced by the silly Pro Bowl Games in 2023, featuring the likes of dodgeball, skills challenges and flag football. — Greg Cote august 30, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026 Conservation efforts have included replacing cattle with free-ranging bison, restoring Rio Grande cutthroat trout habitat, and using prescribed fire and forest management to improve ecosystem health. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Aug. 2026 Until China can produce or replace enough plasma of its own, tens of millions of patients needing human albumin, like Ge’s family, will remain heavily reliant on the vital fluid typically drawn from hard-up Americans. — Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for replace

Recent Examples of Synonyms for replace

Verb

Now, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed making this process permanent and potentially worse by having a political appointee review all grants before they are awarded, superseding the peer review process.

— Abdullah Shihipar, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026
Days later, Beirich was charged in the second superseding indictment.

— Arie Perliger, The Conversation, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of supersede

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“Replace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/replace. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of replace

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