displace

verb

dis·​place (ˌ)dis-ˈplās How to pronounce displace (audio)
di-ˈsplās
displaced; displacing; displaces
Synonyms of displace

transitive verb

1
a
: to remove from the usual or proper place
specifically : to expel or force to flee from home or homeland
displaced persons
b
: to remove from an office, status, or job
c
obsolete : to drive out : banish
2
a
: to move physically out of position
a floating object displaces water
b
: to take the place of (as in a chemical reaction) : supplant
displaceable
(ˌ)dis-ˈplā-sə-bəl How to pronounce displace (audio)
di-ˈsplā-
adjective

Synonyms of displace

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replace, displace, supplant, supersede mean to put out of a usual or proper place or into the place of another.

replace implies a filling of a place once occupied by something lost, destroyed, or no longer usable or adequate.

replaced the broken window

displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

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

supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

Examples of displace in a Sentence

The war has displaced thousands of people. The hurricane displaced most of the town's residents. The closing of the factory has displaced many workers. farming practices that displace large amounts of soil
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
And the rural poor, whose jobs are being displaced by factory automation, are grinding out longer hours for lower pay in the gig economy. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026 According to the American Red Cross, 10 families and a total of 26 people were displaced by the fire. — Dan Raby, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026 Chicago Fire Department officials said at least seven people were displaced following a multi-unit building fire that broke out Tuesday morning in the city’s South Austin neighborhood. — Deanese Williams-Harris, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 2026 The Kenya National Human Rights Commission on Tuesday called for an urgent humanitarian response to protect those displaced and ease pressure on host communities. — ABC News, 27 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for displace

Word History

Etymology

probably from Middle French desplacer, from des- dis- + place place

First Known Use

1549, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of displace was in 1549

Rhymes for displace

See All Rhymes for displace

Browse Nearby Words

dispiteous
displace
displaceable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Displace.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/displace. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

displace

verb
dis·​place (ˈ)dis-ˈplās How to pronounce displace (audio)
1
: to remove from a usual or proper place
especially : to expel or force to flee from home or homeland
displaced persons
2
a
: to remove physically out of position
water displaced by a floating object
b
: to take the place of : replace
displaceable
-ə-bəl How to pronounce displace (audio)
adjective

Medical Definition

displace

transitive verb
dis·​place (ˈ)dis-ˈplās How to pronounce displace (audio)
displaced; displacing
1
a
: to remove from the usual or proper place
in heterotopia the gray portions of the cord are displaced so that patches of gray matter are scattered among the bundles of white fibers—R. L. Cecil et al.
b
: to shift (an emotion or behavior) from a maladaptive or unacceptable object or form of outlet to a more adaptive or acceptable one
displace punishable behavior by directing it towards things that cannot punish—B. F. Skinner
2
: to set free from chemical combination by taking the place of
zinc displaces the hydrogen of dilute acids
3
: to subject to percolation
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