expropriate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to take possession of, especially for public use by the right of eminent domain, thus divesting the title of the private owner.
The government expropriated the land for a recreation area.
-
to dispossess (a person) of ownership.
The revolutionary government expropriated the landowners from their estates.
-
to take (something) from another's possession for one's own use.
He expropriated my ideas for his own article.
verb
Other Word Forms
- de-expropriation noun
- expropriable adjective
- expropriation noun
- expropriationist adjective
- expropriator noun
- unexpropriable adjective
- unexpropriated adjective
Etymology
Origin of expropriate
1605–15; from Medieval Latin expropriātus “separated from one's own” (past participle of expropriāre ), equivalent to ex- ex- 1 + propri(āre) “to appropriate” (derivative of proprius proper ) + -ātus -ate 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Conoco, which was a player there 20 years ago before its assets were expropriated, also hasn’t made any commitments to restart production.
From Barron's
Conoco, which was a player there 20 years ago before its assets were expropriated, also hasn’t made any commitments to restart production.
From Barron's
The forced auction was a lengthy process that pitted Amber Energy against one other contender, Gold Reserves Ltd., a creditor of Venezuela that had its gold- and copper-mining assets expropriated.
From MarketWatch
The forced auction was a lengthy process that pitted Amber Energy against one other contender, Gold Reserves Ltd., a creditor of Venezuela that had its gold- and copper-mining assets expropriated.
From MarketWatch
Many locals want the land back that was expropriated by PPC years ago to mine the low-grade brown coal so they can farm it again.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
