usurp

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Definitions (11)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. transitive verb To seize and hold (the power or rights of another, for example) by force or without legal authority. See Synonyms at appropriate.
  2. transitive verb To take over or occupy without right: usurp a neighbor's land.
  3. transitive verb To take the place of (another) without legal authority; supplant.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (3)

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Examples

  • He had seen a foreign minister usurp, within the territories of the United States, some of the most important rights of sovereignty, and persist, after the prohibition of the government in the exercise of those rights. —  Life and Times of Washington
  • What a remarkable conformity of language, gentlemen, between the factions whom the aristocracy avow, and those who usurp the name of patriots! —  Memoirs of General Lafayette
  • I didn't like to think that I was usurp - ing any of my mother's duties, even on a tem - porary basis, but we might be in need of every length of clean linen ever woven in the Hold. —  Nerilka's Story
  • With no dreams to usurp, Qubwa had simply inserted a phantasm of his own: —  Psychosphere
  • "Blood will stain the usurp - er's robes before the month is gone!" —  Elric At The End of Time
 

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Usurp has been looked up 671 times, favorited once, listed 61 times, and commented on twice.

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Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English usurpen, from Old French usurper, from Latin ūsūrpāre, to take into use, usurp; see reup- in Indo-European roots.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from French usurper = Spanish Portuguese usurpar = Italian usurpare, from Latin usurpare, make use of, use, assume, take possession of, usurp, perhaps orig. usu rapere, seize to (one's own) use: usu, ablative of usus, use; rapere, seize: see use and rap.
 

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/juˈzərp/
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