1
as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
dissidents were shot, and their lands expropriated under his regime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
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
Castillo at one time threatened to expropriate mining concessions and Petro has pledged to halt oil and coal investment and exploration in a unilateral bid to address climate change.
—Christopher Sabatini, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for expropriate
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
Castillo at one time threatened to expropriate mining concessions and Petro has pledged to halt oil and coal investment and exploration in a unilateral bid to address climate change.
—Christopher Sabatini, Foreign Affairs, 31 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for expropriate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for expropriate
Verb
-
Arrests made, guns seized after 5 musicians found dead near U.S. border Feds charge California man with threatening to kill Trump on Facebook Cold Case DNA Florida Emily Mae Czachor Emily Mae Czachor is a news editor at CBSNews.com.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
3 June 2025
-
Morena overhauled the court system late last year, fueling protests and criticism that the reform is an attempt by those in power to seize on their political popularity to gain control of the branch of government, that was until now, out of their reach.—
MARÍA VERZA,
Arkansas Online,
3 June 2025
Verb
-
One article from a respected legacy publication just last year centered on how to get your neighbor evicted for smelling like weed.—
Lindsey Bartlett,
Rolling Stone,
27 May 2025
-
The officer told Dean that, under North Carolina law, the woman was a resident at the hotel and would need to be evicted to be forced to leave.—
Jeff A. Chamer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
Provincial Police confiscated the 1964 Iso Rivolta Grifo A3 Stradale, entered in the Concorso by Thomas Shannon, after allegedly stopping its American driver on the streets of Cernobbio without an International Driving Permit.—
Michael Taylor,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
-
Police confiscated guns, heroin, cocaine and $19,000 in cash when executing a search warrant.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
The lawsuit says the administration is usurping Congress' power to direct how federal money will be spent and to pass laws.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
28 May 2025
-
Comments Netflix's Sirens finds Milly Alcock's Simone usurping Julianne Moore's Michaela as queen of the Kell family.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
The Administration has continued retaliating by depriving Harvard of billions of dollars in federal grants and contracts, and by attempting to strip the university’s tax-exempt status.—
Jeannie Suk Gersen,
New Yorker,
29 May 2025
-
Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who killed Floyd, is serving two sentences of more than 20 years in prison for a federal charge of depriving Floyd of his civil rights, and state charges of unintentional murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.—
Alisha Ebrahimji,
CNN Money,
25 May 2025
Verb
-
Sophomore infielder Luke Nixon was responsible for half of them, stealing 14 in 16 attempts.—
Mitch Light,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
-
With Taylor Moton, Brady Christensen and Yosh Nijman all set to become free agents in 2026, Tarquin has a prime opportunity to steal a spot with his youthful (read: cheap) outlook.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
28 May 2025
Verb
-
Starting the game in intense fashion, their decision to press Barca high up the pitch paid off as Federico Dimarco dispossessed Dani Olmo and immediately found Denzel Dumfries.—
Adam Digby,
Forbes.com,
8 May 2025
-
During a discriminatory apartheid government that ended in the mid-1990s, Black South Africans were forcibly dispossessed of their lands for the benefit of Whites.—
Nimi Princewill,
CNN Money,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
Scott grabbed some pizza and returned to park her Subaru near the West Shore Market to wait for Serafini.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2025
-
Appeal To All Five Senses People still like going out, meeting others and grabbing coffee.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Expropriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/expropriate. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share