supersede

American  

[soo-per-seed] / ˌsu pərˈsid /

verb (used with object)

superseded, superseding

1. to replace in power, authority, effectiveness, acceptance, use, etc., as by another person or thing.

2. to set aside or cause to be set aside as void, useless, irrelevant, or obsolete, usually in consideration of something mentioned.

   The success of the vaccine superseded the necessity of a smallpox hospital, and the enterprise was abandoned almost as soon as conceived.

   Synonyms:

   rescind, revoke, annul, overrule, void

3. to succeed to the position, function, office, etc., of; supplant.

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supersede British  

/ ˌsuːpəˈsiːdʒə, ˌsuːpəˈsiːd, ˌsuːpəˈsɛʃən /

verb

1. to take the place of (something old-fashioned or less appropriate); supplant

2. to replace in function, office, etc; succeed

3. to discard or set aside or cause to be set aside as obsolete or inferior

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Related Words

See replace.

Other Word Forms

• supersedable adjective
• supersedence noun
• superseder noun
• supersedure noun
• supersession noun
• unsuperseding adjective

Etymology

Origin of supersede

First recorded in 1485–95; from Latin supersedēre “to sit above or upon, forbear,” equivalent to super- super- + sedēre “to sit”; see sit ¹

Explanation

When something supersedes, it takes the place of something else. The 5th edition of your history textbook supersedes the 4th edition. Most words that include super have something good going on. Supersede is from the 16th-century Latin for "sit on top," and it often means to replace with something better. A version 10 of a computer game will supersede, version 9, making it more exciting. Unfortunately, a person might be replaced too, as in "the younger running back will supersede the veteran player as he gets older." To supersede is generally a good thing, but being superseded is not always that great for the replaced person.

Example Sentences

Faced with such potential destabilisation, the government may have felt it needed the new law to supersede existing legal protections for minority rights, according to analysts.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

Those laws often allow the state’s housing agenda to supersede preferences of the municipality.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 18, 2026

Any beneficiary designations you have set up will supersede whatever is listed in a will.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 14, 2026

Wiener’s proposal, which was first reported by the New York Times, would nullify and supersede all constitutional convention applications previously put forth by the Legislature.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2024

Her esteemed position in the community, with the church, and as someone who could speak almost unaccented English seemed to supersede her position as a woman.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• annul
• overrule
• repudiate
• set aside
• supplant
• usurp