Definition of dispossessnext
as in to evict
to end the occupancy or possession of opponents of gentrification claim that the process unfairly dispossesses poorer residents of their long-established homes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 dispossess Calling his father and uncle gusanos — or worms, a Spanish-language term coined by Castro to denigrate those fleeing the island — the agent seized the bank and in an instant dispossessed a family that arrived from Spain in the 16th century. Joshua Goodman, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026 Calling his father and uncle gusanos — or worms, a Spanish-language term coined by Castro to denigrate those fleeing the island — the agent seized the bank and, in an instant, dispossessed a family that arrived from Spain in the 16th century. CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026 Their destruction was also a central part of the federal campaign to subdue and dispossess tribal nations. Tyson Running Wolf, Denver Post, 25 Mar. 2026 The growth of colonial Australian society came at the expense of the Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who were often dispossessed of their land, exposed to foreign diseases, and either pushed into marginal areas or forcibly assimilated into European culture. Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 19 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dispossess
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dispossess
Verb
  • The main drama involves a rural teen-age tee girl who recognizes the resort’s president as the potentate who evicted her family from their land.
    Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026
  • In 1968 Britain considered evicting the family by force, with declassified documents showing a plan to raze the fort.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • According to Lahey, depriving kids of desirable difficulties results in kids who can’t handle frustration, give up at the first hint of a challenge, and are less able to learn.
    Cheryl Maguire, Parents, 1 Sep. 2026
  • During the war’s previous winters, Russia systematically battered Ukraine’s power grid, depriving thousands of heat and light in freezing temperatures.
    Samya Kullab, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster