dispossess

[ dis-puh-zes ]

verb (used with object)

1. to put (a person) out of possession, especially of real property; oust.
2. to banish.
3. to abandon ownership of (a building), especially as a bad investment:

   Landlords have dispossessed many old tenement buildings.

dispossess

/ ˌdɪspəˈzɛs /

verb

1. tr to take away possession of something, esp property; expel

Derived Forms

• ˌdisposˈsessory, adjective
• ˌdisposˈsession, noun
• ˌdisposˈsessor, noun

Other Words From

• dispos·session noun
• dispos·sessor noun
• dis·pos·ses·so·ry [dis-p, uh, -, zes, -, uh, -ree], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dispossess¹

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

Synonym Study

See strip ¹.

Example Sentences

Shai Parnes, a spokesperson for the group, said: “Israel’s planning and building policy in the West Bank is aimed at preventing Palestinian development and dispossessing Palestinians of their land.”

From BBC

The greatest violence of the Pax Romana was always borne by the poor, who were often ripped from their families, enslaved in back-breaking labor, and dispossessed of their land and resources.

From Salon

“Yet PEN America appears unwilling to stand with them firmly against the powers that have oppressed and dispossessed them for the last 75 years.”

From Seattle Times

Watching their games back I saw a lot of misplaced passes, or United players being dispossessed when they were playing out, and that seemed to be an obvious area of concern.

From BBC

The chances kept coming with the away side dispossessed time and again by a relentless Atletico.

From BBC

Related Words

• evict