MEANING
To take a position, right, or power without legitimate entitlement.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- usurp authority
- usurp a role
On the page
The deputy was accused of usurping the chair's authority.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- usurp
- Past tense
- usurped
- Past participle
- usurped
- Present participle
- usurping
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- usurp
- Present continuous
- am/is/are usurping
- Present perfect
- have/has usurped
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been usurping
- Past
- usurped
- Past continuous
- was/were usurping
- Past perfect
- had usurped
- Past perfect continuous
- had been usurping
- Future
- will usurp
- Future continuous
- will be usurping
- Future perfect
- will have usurped
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been usurping
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: usurp; usurps; usurped; usurped; usurping Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, character, dialogue. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: usurps.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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