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
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Recent Examples of usurped
Surprisingly usurped last year’s player of the season Aaron Wan-Bissaka at right-back.
—
Tim Spiers, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
But, in the United States, its role was usurped by Noah Webster’s American Dictionary of the English Language, which made its début in 1828.
—Louis Menand, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
But unbeknownst to the Germans, their international plan had been usurped.
—Literary Hub, 16 Dec. 2025
This dynamic has continued throughout the season, as the minor-key drama has seen its buzz usurped by the Panahi lovefest and received softer critical support than anticipated.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
That role cannot be usurped by the Executive Branch or diffused elsewhere—whether in this case or in another case, whether in times of heightened national need or not.
—Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
The latter was set to be spun off into a new company, led by WBD’s current CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, with David Zaslav running studios and streaming, but this may be usurped by a major transaction.
—Peter White, Deadline, 20 Nov. 2025
In its court filings Friday, the administration contended that the judge had usurped both legislative and executive authority.
—Michelle L. Price, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2025
Twice, the administration appealed, contending that the judiciary had usurped Congress's spending power by directing the executive branch to find the money.
—James Sample, ABC News, 8 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for usurped
Verb
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The London punk rebels seized the revolutionary spirit of 1977 with their raw manifesto The Clash, then refined their sound with the flawed Give ‘Em Enough Rope.—
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Government security forces seized 1,764 tonnes of cocaine between August 2022 and November 2024, followed by a further 601 tonnes between January and August 2025.—
Verb
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French authorities confiscated the cocaine.—
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While raising the kids together, Ruby and Hildebrandt abused the two youngest children with harsh punishments and torture, according to Ruby's journal that was later confiscated.—
Verb
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Javonte Green missed a potential tying 3-point try and Paul Reed grabbed the rebound, but committed Detroit's 25th turnover.—
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Carolyn Collins scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Mya Korpal had 15 points as Winchester came back to defeat Reading 54-53 in Middlesex League play.—
Verb
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The perfect partner for the look is a powder pink clutch and stole, both with embroidery that matches the dress.—
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What also stole the show was her custom Lorraine Schwartz bling, particularly her diamond rings and custom earrings, which were made with 75 carats worth of diamonds in a cluster arrangement.—
Verb
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When mega-housing developments sprang up on land formerly occupied by ranches and pine plantations, far from schools, utilities and roads the new residents would need, with taxpayers helping to foot the bill for those connections.—
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To qualify for Solar MAP+, properties must include at least five units with at least 60% of the units occupied by residents earning less than 60% of area median income, according to Connecticut Green Bank officials.—
Verb
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The 6-6 Oldacre converted 7 of 8 shots from the floor and 9 of 12 free throws.—
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On two of the eight misses, Miami converted on fourth down.—
Verb
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Russia said the attack was retaliation for what Moscow claimed was a Ukrainian drone strike on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence last month.—
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As the Ole Miss football team tried to win its national semifinal, the women's basketball team claimed one of the biggest wins in school history.—
Verb
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In a 40-page filing to the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals, the administration insisted that being forced to spend money Congress has already appropriated is a graver injury than the hunger and disruption that would follow from withholding it.—
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In his signing statement, the President appropriated the arguments put forward by the bill’s champions.—
Cite this Entry
“Usurped.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/usurped. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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