replace
Americanverb (used with object)
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replaces,
present (3rd person singular)
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replaced,
past participle, past
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replacing
present participle
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to assume the former role, position, or function of; substitute for (a person or thing).
Electricity has replaced gas in lighting.
- Synonyms:
- succeed
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to provide a substitute or equivalent in the place of.
to replace a broken dish.
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to restore; return; make good.
to replace a sum of money borrowed.
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to restore to a former or the proper place.
to replace the vase on the table.
verb
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to take the place of; supersede
the manual worker is being replaced by the machine
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to substitute a person or thing for (another which has ceased to fulfil its function); put in place of
to replace an old pair of shoes
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to put back or return; restore to its rightful place
Synonym Usage
Replace, supersede, supplant refer to putting one thing or person in place of another. To replace is to take the place of, to succeed: Ms. Jones will replace Mr. Smith as president. Supersede implies that that which is replacing another is an improvement: The computer has superseded the typewriter. Supplant implies that that which takes the other's place has ousted the former holder and usurped the position or function, especially by art or fraud: to supplant a former favorite.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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replaceabilitynoun
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replacernoun
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nonreplaceableadjective
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quasi-replacedadjective
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replaceableadjective
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unreplaceableadjective
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unreplacedadjective
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well-replacedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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replacesimple
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replacessimple
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have replacedperfect
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has replacedperfect
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am replacingprogressive
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are replacingprogressive
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is replacingprogressive
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have been replacingperfect progressive
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has been replacingperfect progressive
Past
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replacedsimple
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had replacedperfect
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was replacingprogressive
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were replacingprogressive
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had been replacingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of replace
Explanation
Is your pen not working? Maybe you need to replace it. To replace is to substitute one thing for another — in this case, to get a new pen and throw the old one away. When you see the word place in it, replace makes sense: replacing is putting something new in place of something old. We need to replace most things at some point: light bulbs burn out and batteries run out, while computers, cars, and socks wear out. When something stops working or is just worn out and old, it might be time to replace it. It's natural to worry that your boss might want to replace you — i.e., fire you and hire someone else. Some things in life cannot be replaced, like a winning lottery ticket or a friend.
Vocabulary lists containing replace
"How Do We Use Water?"
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re-
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President Obama's second inaugural address
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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.
See Examples For:
Sadighi said that at one of her client’s former on-site data-center power systems, a power provider had to replace equipment worth millions of dollars following a multiday outage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
These kits won’t fix every tire, but they are an inexpensive, easily stored option that can get you back on the road long enough to replace a tire in many situations.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Becerra, asked Tuesday about Hilton’s criticism that he was “coasting” to election in the November general election to replace termed-out Gov. Gavin Newsom, rejected the notion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Ulster Unionist leader Jon Burrows has said he will make a decision "overnight" and confirm on Thursday who will replace Mike Nesbitt as health minister.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
I wasn’t going to pretend that planting new trees would replace the ones that got cut down.
From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan
He was previously an appeals court judge in Florida and replaces Judge Roy Altman, who had also been nominated by Trump in 2019.
From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026
And one in five Americans believes Social Security is all that’s necessary, even though it replaces only 40% of the average worker’s wages when retiring at age 65.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
Sanjay Gaba, president of the All India Gig and Platform Workers Union, said the system simply replaces one form of exploitation with another.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Some arias are cut; Donna Elvira’s Act 2 “Mi tradì” replaces her Act 1 “Ah, fuggi il traditor,” and there is no moralizing epilogue after the Don goes to hell.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
He shakes the watch gently and replaces it in his pocket.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
Taalas makes the case that it has a lower cost of ownership than a GPU on a four-year refresh cycle, even if the Taalas chips have to be replaced every year, according to EE Times.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
Rather than shelve the movie, Scott — ever the problem solver — replaced him with Christopher Plummer and reshot 22 scenes just weeks before it was due in theaters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Consumers would therefore only see a price difference if domestically produced gas replaced more expensive imports.
From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026
The employee profit-sharing program replaced a company pension in the late 1980s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
This particular Kozlov house had stood for fifty years, having replaced the old home when it was damaged in a flood.
From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
They are also typically on the hook for repairing and replacing broken power equipment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 20, 2026
Chris Sutton: There's no doubt the pressure will be on Maresca from the off, and replacing Rodri is nigh on impossible.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026
The spacewalk is scheduled to start at 1235 GMT and last six and a half hours, with the goal of replacing a space-to-ground antenna on the orbital complex, according to NASA.
From Barron's ● Aug. 18, 2026
“That same energy could be used much more efficiently by directly replacing fossil fuels in end uses.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
The masonry weathered the storm just fine, but the windows and wood need refinishing or replacing.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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.
