usurped

Usurp is a verb meaning to take a position of authority or control without rightful authority, often by force, coercion, or subterfuge. It can also mean to seize or appropriate something for one’s own use in a way that deprives the rightful owner. The past tense and past participle form is usurped. The related nouns are usurpation (the act) and usurper (the person who commits the act). The term carries a negative connotation of illegitimacy, though it can be used more broadly to describe unofficial or unauthorized assumptions of power or responsibility, including in nonpolitical contexts such as someone usurping another’s role or credit.

Etymology and forms: Usurp derives from Old French usurper, from Latin usurpare, itself formed from usus (use) and rapere (to seize). The English verb arrived with senses tied to taking for one’s own use without a rightful claim. The standard forms include usurp, usurped, usurping, and usurpation as the noun version.

Usage and contexts: In political or organizational history, usurpation denotes the seizure of power or office through force, manipulation, or extralegal means, often in situations of weakened institutions or contested succession. In literary or journalistic contexts, it can describe someone taking a role or credit that belongs to another. Phrases such as “to usurp authority” or “to usurp the throne” are common, and the term can apply to both overt coups and subtler power grabs.

See also: usurpation, usurper, usurpationary. While the act is generally viewed as illegitimate in retellings, the term’s exact connotation depends on perspective, context, and authority structures involved.