dispossess
Americanverb (used with object)
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to put (a person) out of possession, especially of real property; oust.
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to banish.
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to abandon ownership of (a building), especially as a bad investment.
Landlords have dispossessed many old tenement buildings.
verb
Synonym Usage
See strip 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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dispossesssimple
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dispossessessimple
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have dispossessedperfect
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has dispossessedperfect
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am dispossessingprogressive
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are dispossessingprogressive
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is dispossessingprogressive
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have been dispossessingperfect progressive
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has been dispossessingperfect progressive
Past
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dispossessedsimple
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had dispossessedperfect
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was dispossessingprogressive
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were dispossessingprogressive
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had been dispossessingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dispossess
First recorded in 1425–75; dis- 1 + possess; replacing Middle English disposseden, equivalent to dis- 1 + posseden (from Old French posseder ), from Latin possidēre; possess
Explanation
When you take something away from someone, especially land or property, you dispossess them of it. Your parents might dispossess you of the tent you pitched in the yard to set up the grill for their upcoming cookout. At the heart of dispossess is the verb possess, which you may think of as meaning "to own," but which also means "to occupy" or "to hold as real estate." When people are deprived of their property or possessions, they are dispossessed. In fact, the verb dispossess is sometimes used in place of the more direct evict. If a homeowner misses too many mortgage payments, the bank may dispossess them, forcing them to move out.
Vocabulary lists containing dispossess
Twelfth Night
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Beowulf
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"Bonne Année" by Jean-Pierre Benoît
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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.
Prosecutors said Lopez was not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition because of his criminal history, which included a November 2023 grand theft conviction in San Bernardino County.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2026
He has constantly maintained that when jurists interpret statutes, words are to be given the meaning that an ordinary English speaker would have understood them to possess when Congress enacted the statute.
From Slate • Jun. 3, 2026
China is thought to possess hundreds of nuclear warheads and has been rapidly developing its military in recent years.
From Barron's • May 31, 2026
Jade Tubb, Nikolli's partner, of Walsall, also admitted conspiracy to possess criminal property and was handed a 12-month sentence, which was suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Mr. Rochester heard, but heeded not: he stood stubborn and rigid, making no movement but to possess himself of my hand.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
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.
