usurp
verb /juːˈzɜːp/
/juːˈzɜːrp/
(formal)Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they usurp | /juːˈzɜːp/ /juːˈzɜːrp/ |
| he / she / it usurps | /juːˈzɜːps/ /juːˈzɜːrps/ |
| past simple usurped | /juːˈzɜːpt/ /juːˈzɜːrpt/ |
| past participle usurped | /juːˈzɜːpt/ /juːˈzɜːrpt/ |
| -ing form usurping | /juːˈzɜːpɪŋ/ /juːˈzɜːrpɪŋ/ |
- usurp somebody/something to take somebody’s position and/or power without having the right to do this
- Democratically elected representatives should not be usurped by pressure groups.
- He attempted to usurp the principal's authority.
- She is scheming to take my place and usurp my power.
Oxford Collocations DictionaryUsurp is used with these nouns as the object:- authority
- throne
Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘appropriate a right wrongfully)’: from Old French usurper, from Latin usurpare ‘seize for use’.