expropriate
verb (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.
expropriated
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past participleof expropriate.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof expropriate.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
expropriateverb (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.
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.
Lawyers say the seizure of the Professor Molchanov, and the landmark ruling in The Hague, paves the way for owners of other property expropriated by Russia to pursue compensation.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
Having expropriated some of the oil company's assets in the region, he was in a defiant mood.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026
Most of the wealth accruing to the companies monetizing it has been expropriated by them.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 6, 2026
“I see myself flourishing again,” said José Celestino García Petro, 66 and a father of eight, who said he never found steady work after his well-servicing firm was expropriated by the government years ago.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 15, 2026
Tres Marias was one of the last haciendas in the South to be expropriated under the agrarian reform.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
