usurp

verb

yu̇-ˈsərp How to pronounce usurp (audio)
Definition of usurpnext
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

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 usurp Howie Roseman acquired Bigsby after Week 1, and Bigsby eventually usurped Shipley as Barkley’s top backup. — Zach Berman, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026 In this way, the tech is being used to elevate human intelligence, rather than usurping it. — William Jones, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026 When Shuja was usurped in Afghanistan by a rival brother, Shuja’s wife, Wa’fa Begum, fled to Lahore for safety. — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026 Her centuries old father Doro (who also appears in Wild Seed), is an ever present threat, concerned that his ambitious daughter will usurp his power. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for usurp
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurp
  1. seize
  2. confiscate
  3. steal
  4. grab
  5. occupy
  6. convert
Verb
  • The Texas high school football season is underway, and several Fort Worth-area teams seized statement wins.
    — Charles Baggarly August 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
  • But while the Jets’ defense piled up takeaways, the rookie quarterback failed to seize the spotlight during the 23-6 loss to the Giants.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of seize
Verb
  • When referee Rick Knox confiscated the belt, Christian loaded up his wrist brace with a wrench.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Citing medical privacy laws, Ryan Gustin, a spokesperson for CoreCivic, declined to answer questions about Bartko’s allegations that her medication was confiscated and withheld from her for nearly two weeks.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of confiscate
Verb
  • Elsewhere, stoles stole the show, particular those draped languidly over the shoulder or fashioned as cummerbunds.
    — Andrea Zendejas, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • On multiple occasions, law enforcement officers have used Flock footage to identify and ultimately arrest people accused of stealing from Ulta Beauty stores.
    — Kara McGrath, Allure, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of steal
Verb
  • Mishka Wilonski had just grabbed pizza from a nearby shop and was walking outside with a friend when the crash happened.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Michael grabbed him, rushed out of the house, and blew through several red lights on the way to the hospital.
    — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • Netanyahu’s hard-line government has been accused of turning a blind eye to the settler attacks in the West Bank, which many governments around the world consider illegally occupied.
    — F. Brinley Bruton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • But no one has lived in the house since 2010, when it was occupied by architects Sirkka and Robert Damora for about five decades after the Booths.
    — Nora DeLigter, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of occupy
Verb
  • The show lures corporate sponsors to the marketing mecca, where brands hope to convert experience seekers into true believers, eventually disciples.
    — Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • After Musk left, OpenAI launched massively successful AI products, namely ChatGPT, struck partnerships with tech titans including Microsoft, converted its business into a for-profit with a non-profit parent, and raised huge sums of funding.
    — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of convert

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usuals
usurp
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Cite this Entry

“Usurp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurp. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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