usurp
to seize power or position wrongfully or by force
Word origin: From Latin usurpare, to seize for use.
Usurp in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing usurp in a sentence.
The general attempted to usurp the throne while the king was abroad.
The general moved to usurp authority from the elected council before the new parliament could convene.
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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence
Far from being the revolutionary thinker his admirers claimed, the philosopher was in fact quite blank, defending the traditional doctrines of his teachers without challenge.
Using “usurp” well
To usurp is to seize power or position wrongfully or by force, with a strong connotation of illegitimacy. It is the opposite of relinquishing or ceding authority.
More GRE words starting with U
seeming to be present everywhere at the same time
to howl or wail loudly, especially in grief or celebration
offense or annoyance taken at a perceived slight
complete and unqualified, without anything to diminish it
having only one possible meaning; entirely clear
complete agreement among everyone involved
impossible to attack, question, or refute
not subjected to attack or challenge
Questions about “usurp”
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