MEANING
Someone who seizes power, office, or rights without a recognized entitlement.
Use it for
contested legitimacy; seized crowns; politically loaded namingLet the label reveal who is making the accusation.
Words that belong together
- brand a usurper
- usurper's throne
- overthrow a usurper
On the page
The old court called him a usurper; the farmers called him king.
A usurper may inherit the palace without inheriting its loyalties.
She buried the usurper beside the monarch he had displaced.
Nearby words
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- usurper
Usage notes
Primary category: fantasy. A judgment about legitimacy, often disputed by factions; not every conqueror or successor is necessarily a usurper. Noun: usurper; plural usurpers.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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