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
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Recent Examples of usurp
Chiesa can operate on both flanks but predominantly plays on the right, so would face an almost impossible battle to usurp Salah this season.
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Andy Jones, The Athletic, 27 Aug. 2024
In 2022, the Lab was usurped by the French Bulldog, who kept the most popular title for 2023.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024
While the citizens decide to build a firewall to keep out newcomers (A King and Queen potentially showing up and usurping Prince and Princess?
—David John Chávez, The Mercury News, 30 Oct. 2024
But recent elections have seen the far right increasingly usurp centrist conservatives as the main right-wing force.
—Alexander Smith, NBC News, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for usurp 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurp
Verb
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Saturday could’ve been a moment for Auburn to seize some momentum in this rivalry under Freeze amid a disappointing Alabama season; instead, DeBoer led the Tide to a convincing win to start his Iron Bowl career 1-0.Kennington Smith III, The Athletic, 1 Dec. 2024
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The war monitor said insurgents were also able to seize control of Saraqeb, south of Aleppo, a town at the strategic intersection of the highways linking Aleppo with Damascus and the coast.SARAH EL DEEB THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 30 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The Supreme Court on Tuesday probed the international consequences of allowing a group of Holocaust survivors and their heirs to leverage U.S. courts to seek compensation from Hungary for confiscating their property.Zach Schonfeld, The Hill, 3 Dec. 2024
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The credit value of the forest reflects real, on-the-ground protection efforts—stopping bulldozers, preventing forest fires, confiscating chainsaws, and helping local Indigenous communities develop sustainable livelihoods that do not damage the forests.Suwanna Gauntlett, Forbes, 1 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The two-act ballet is set to Tchaikovsky's famous score, but the kids, dressed in everything from icicles to walking walnuts, steal the show.Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 6 Dec. 2024
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Back at the Manhattan Suite, the living and dining spaces steal the show.Spencer Whaley, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Some of these deals run through December 9, but many end today (or could run out of stock!), so grab your favorites before they’re gone.Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 2 Dec. 2024
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Then grab Westman Atelier's The Summer Bronze Set, stat.Annie Blackman, Allure, 2 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Brown occupies a curious position in the vast industry of college football—both at the center of it and incidental to the massive changes wrought by conference realignment.Louisa Thomas, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2024
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The engine-and-generator room occupies about 775 square feet under the aft beach club, while the 118-square-foot fuel-cell cluster is located toward the bow.Katia Damborsky, Robb Report, 30 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Investors should be mindful of the fact that digital gold is less regulated than traditional gold assets, and fees may apply when converting digital holdings to physical gold.Jaime Catmull, Forbes, 7 Dec. 2024
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The funds were then either transferred to accounts under the co-conspirators’ control or converted to cash, authorities said.Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 7 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Usurp.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurp. Accessed 11 Dec. 2024.
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