supplant

as in to replace
to take the place of old traditions that were fading away and being supplanted by modern ways

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How is the word supplant distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of supplant are displace, replace, and supersede. While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," supplant implies either a dispossessing or usurping of another's place, possessions, or privileges or an uprooting of something and its replacement with something else.

was abruptly supplanted in her affections by another

When is it sensible to use displace instead of supplant?

Although the words displace and supplant have much in common, displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

When could replace be used to replace supplant?

In some situations, the words replace and supplant are roughly equivalent. However, replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate.

replaced the broken window

When can supersede be used instead of supplant?

The words supersede and supplant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of supplant The governor was responding to mounting fears, which have spread widely across the internet, that central bank digital currencies will supplant cash. Brooke Seipel, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2024 But the intention—to eliminate human interaction from cognitive processes, to teach machines to behave like people—reverberates today, when technologies like AI automation threaten to simulate and supplant human labor amid a promise of enhanced productivity. Lauren Rosati, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2024 Could Sheppard supplant VanVleet as early as next season? Rahat Huq, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024 Post-Columbus, the indigenous Kalinago people successfully repelled would-be Spanish colonists, but by the late 18th century, France had claimed the island, later to be supplanted by the British. Maggie Shipstead, Travel + Leisure, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for supplant 

Thesaurus Entries Near supplant

Cite this Entry

“Supplant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/supplant. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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