1
2
as in to evict
to end the occupancy or possession of the state will have to expropriate scores of homeowners in order to build the new road

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to confiscate
to take ownership or control of (something) by right of one's authority plans by the city to expropriate entire blocks of houses in order to bulldoze them for expansion of the airport

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 expropriate However, a law passed by South Africa earlier this year does not allow land to be expropriated without an agreement with the owner. Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 12 May 2025 Since 2022, the Ukrainian government has proceeded systematically to expropriate the assets of these companies, diminishing the interests of private investors, and, in the end, decreasing the amount of energy actually produced. Daniel Markind, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025 About a dozen European companies have had their Russian subsidiaries expropriated by presidential decree, including Danish brewer Carlsberg and Finnish utility Fortum and the Kremlin has warned of more asset seizures. Anna Hirtenstein and Alexander Marrow, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025 From the fourteenth century onward, Ottoman sultans regularly expropriated their subjects, including merchants, soldiers, and state officials. Timur Kuran, Foreign Affairs, 15 Aug. 2017 See All Example Sentences for expropriate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expropriate
Verb
  • One media entrepreneur has already seized part of the Fyre opportunity.
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 10 July 2025
  • Yemen’s war began when the Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Jessie was evicted in a blindside, flipping the season’s power dynamic and cementing Jeff’s place as a fan favorite.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 July 2025
  • After his family was evicted from their home in Hawaii, Johnson was sent to live with his father in Nashville.
    Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • From 2022 through 2024, law enforcement officials in California confiscated 139,017 guns used in crimes with identifiable serial numbers, according to the DOJ’s crime guns report.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 12 July 2025
  • No charges have been pressed against Stone, but her family said her phone was confiscated.
    Joey Safchik, NBC news, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Chinese leaders just haven’t marshaled the diplomatic and military muscle—still less the political will—to usurp America’s position as the world’s premier power.
    Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 6 July 2025
  • Season 2, after all, found Demi attempting to usurp Taylor Frankie Paul as the face of MomTok, trying (and failing) to turn the other women against her.
    EW.com, EW.com, 3 July 2025
Verb
  • Alabama last year became the first state to carry out an execution with nitrogen gas, a method that involves pumping nitrogen through a face mask and depriving the inmate of oxygen.
    Kim Chandler, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2025
  • Permitting their unlawful removal would thwart that purpose and deprive the public of the commission's full expertise and oversight.
    Melissa Quinn July 2, CBS News, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • Famous for alleging Mark Zuckerberg stole their idea for Facebook, the twins donated 15.47 Bitcoin apiece, worth $1 million each at the time, to Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign, citing issues with the Biden administration's approach toward cryptocurrency in a June 2024 post on X by Tyler Winklevoss.
    Thomas Gallagher, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • However, the location of the guitar has remained a mystery since September 1971, having been reportedly stolen during the band’s recording sessions for 1972’s Exile on Main St. at Villa Nellcôte on France’s Côte d’Azur.
    Tyler Jenke, Billboard, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Indigenous and colonized people paid the price, dispossessed of their lands.
    Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
  • He was not dispossessed at all in the match and was generally a menace to SKC’s players.
    Felipe Cardenas, The Athletic, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Order fish tacos or fresh salads at Bad Boy Burrito; grab at coffee at Cafe Moka; shop for clothing and gifts at Miss Monroe Boutique; and browse the open-air stalls at boo kee sue Botanics for handmade textiles, ceramics, and more.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
  • Pick up seasonal staples like this breezy maxi dress and these Crocs recovery slides to comfortably beat the heat, or grab year-round closet staples like these classic Levi’s jeans and this timeless button-down shirt by Gap.
    Clara McMahon, People.com, 11 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Expropriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expropriate. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

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