usurp
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to seize and hold (a position, office, power, etc.) by force or without legal right.
The pretender tried to usurp the throne.
-
to use without authority or right; employ wrongfully.
The magazine usurped copyrighted material.
verb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of usurp
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Latin ūsūrpāre “to take possession through use,” equivalent to ūsū (ablative of ūsus “act of using, employment” ( see use) + -rp-, reduced form of -rip-, combining form of rapere “to seize” + -āre infinitive ending
Explanation
If you take over your neighbor's backyard and claim his in-ground swimming pool as your own, you might seize control of, or usurp his yard, but he'll probably call the cops on you. Leaders who usurp power don't ask for permission to take control of their country. They seize power, often with the help of a large army of followers. A usurper doesn't have to be human. A brand-new radio station can usurp the most popular station in town by playing a better mix of music.
Vocabulary lists containing usurp
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List 3
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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.
Both missions combine into one, with the wrinkle that Rotta doesn’t want to be returned to his relatives, whom he expects will kill him because he could potentially usurp them.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
They are, er, not wholly convinced that there's a level playing field when the east coast is threatening to usurp a giant from the west.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
But I was just trying to find a way for Jonesy and Cookie to play — we weren’t thinking about trying to usurp Johnny or anything like that.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 21, 2026
Tuesday's latest reverse meant Celtic missed the chance to usurp Hearts at the top of the table.
From Barron's • Dec. 31, 2025
“If I do not usurp myself, I am.”
From "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley
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.
