usurped
Americanadjective
-
seized by force or without legal right.
When Edward IV deposed Henry VI, some saw it as a providential restoration of the usurped throne to the lawful heirs of Richard II.
-
deprived of something forcibly or without legal right.
The peasants and other members of the usurped communities have been forced to work as peons in the land that previously belonged to them.
-
used or employed without authority or right; used wrongfully.
Exploitation of usurped or counterfeited web content is punishable by criminal law.
verb
Other Word Forms
- unusurped adjective
Etymology
Origin of usurped
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.
Ultimately, society’s ingrained fear of missing out on making money will be usurped by the fear of losing money.
From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026
In claiming power to give France a new constitution, Mr. Hardman notes, the assembly “had usurped the rights of the people as well as the king.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 31, 2025
While leading tennis pros still command huge attention, there is a perception that golfers have been usurped by female footballers and basketball luminaries such as the Indiana guard Caitlin Clark.
From BBC • May 29, 2025
But the mothering role has been usurped by Roman’s mother, Tara, with whom the couple lives in Adamsville, N.Y., a small town undergoing a post-COVID gentrification.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2024
It was signs like this that usurped my self-esteem and my hope.
From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals
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.
