DISPLACE Synonyms: 128 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'displace' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of displace are replace , supersede , and supplant . While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," displace implies an ousting or dislodging. // war had displaced thousands

Q: When can 'replace' be used instead of 'displace'?

The synonyms replace and displace are sometimes interchangeable, but replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate. // replaced the broken window

Q: When is 'supersede' a more appropriate choice than 'displace'?

In some situations, the words supersede and displace are roughly equivalent. However, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior. // the new edition supersedes all previous ones

Q: In what contexts can 'supplant' take the place of 'displace'?

While the synonyms supplant and displace are close in meaning, 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

displace

verb

(ˌ)dis-ˈplās

Definition of displace

as in to remove

to change the place or position of the slight tremor displaced the dishes on the shelves, but didn't do any real damage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to relegate

to force to leave a country World War II displaced people all over Europe

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to replace

to take the place of inefficient methods displaced by newer ones

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in to depose

to remove from a position of prominence or power (as a throne) the CEO was summarily displaced after the hostile takeover

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word displace distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of displace are replace, supersede, and supplant. While all these words mean "to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another," displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

When can replace be used instead of displace?

The synonyms replace and displace are sometimes interchangeable, but replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate.

replaced the broken window

When is supersede a more appropriate choice than displace?

In some situations, the words supersede and displace are roughly equivalent. However, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

In what contexts can supplant take the place of displace?

While the synonyms supplant and displace are close in meaning, 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

Example 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 displace Assad’s brutal dictatorship presided over mass human rights violations, an economic collapse, and ultimately a vicious internecine conflict that left huge numbers dead and millions displaced until he was overthrown in 2024. — Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2026 The market has clearly come around to the idea that the artificial intelligence boom will supercharge cybersecurity, not displace it. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 25 Aug. 2026 Multiple families have been displaced, and one firefighter was injured in a massive west Fort Worth apartment fire early Tuesday, officials said. — Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Aug. 2026 During the day, the menu reclaims fry bread, a dish with a knotty history among Indigenous groups, as they were forced to adapt to US government rations when forcibly displaced from their homes. — The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for displace

Recent Examples of Synonyms for displace

Verb

In sick bay, M’Benga tries to remove the table and end his life so Chapel can give up on him, an effort that proves futile.

— Keith Phipps, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Though your home may have its share of appliances, mail, mugs, or anything else that lives on your countertops daily, they should be removed before listing.

— Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of remove

Verb

Other goals, like a lactation room, upgrading the fire alarm system to a voice evacuation system for the whole building and replacing the elevator came later.

— Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 30 Aug. 2026
Summary Despite the digital shift, leading retailers are leveraging AI to enhance human customer connections, not replace them.

— John Hall, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of replace

Verb

Paxton wasn't a defendant in the suit, but as the company's former attorney, he was deposed in 2019 and in 2022.

— Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
The good news is the world has not seen a successful military coup since November of last year, when soldiers deposed the president of Guinea-Bissau on the coast of West Africa.

— Keith B. Richburg, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of depose

Verb

Food spoiled during the outage, and the family temporarily relocated to Lucky’s mother’s home.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 29 Aug. 2026
In response to a successful challenge, library staff have to relocate the material to an area inaccessible to minors, the law says.

— Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of relocate

Verb

Genesis also argued that the county lacked authority to revoke the permits because federal law supersedes local regulations.

— Adam Thompson, CBS News, 26 Aug. 2026
However, such designs may now be superseded by austere sites that allow agents to act efficiently on our behalf.

— George C. Lee II, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of supersede

Verb

After Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the militant group once led by Syria’s new president, Ahmed al-Shara, toppled the Assad regime at the end of 2024, regional trade began to trickle back in.

— Jesse Marks, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2026
Adam had been working out at the gym when the man on the running machine next to him had toppled off it while watching a replay of the previous night’s Champions League highlights.

— Helen Simpson, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of topple

Browse Nearby Words

dispirits

displace

displaceable

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Displace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/displace. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of displace

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

9 Pairs of Words That Look the Same But...

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes

Synonyms of displace

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to displace

9 Pairs of Words That Look the Same But...

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes