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S/Supplant
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Visual memory aid for Supplant

Supplant

To take the place of someone or something; to replace, displace, or take over from the current holder.

verb
πŸ’‘

Imagine This

Picture a royal court where a trusted advisor is quietly undermined by a rival. At the next council, the rival steps forward as the new advisor, and the old one is supplanted and sidelined.

πŸ”Š

Sounds Like

/sΙ™ΛˆplΓ¦nt/

πŸ‘€

Looks Like

Looks like two parts: 'sup-' and 'plant' β€” imagine a plant being planted under an old one to push it out.

πŸ“

Remember This

Supplant often carries a sense of replacement through competition or undermining, common in politics, business, and technology contexts.

πŸ“š

Other Forms

supplantationnoun
supplanternoun
supplantedadjective
πŸ”—

Connect With

replace, displace, supersede, oust, dethrone, usurp

πŸ“Œ

Note

Do not confuse with 'supplement' (to add). Supplant means to replace, not to add. It is commonly followed by the person or thing being replaced (e.g., a new system supplants the old one).

🧠

Study Deeper

Examples
  • The incumbent leader was supplanted by a younger, more aggressive rival.
  • New technologies often supplant older methods, making production faster and cheaper.
Synonyms
replacedisplacesupersedeoustsubstitute
Antonyms
retainkeeppreserve
Etymology

From Latin supplantare 'to trip up, overthrow', from sub- 'under' + planta 'a sprout/foot'; the sense evolved from literally tripping someone up to taking their place.

Mnemonic

SUPPLANT: Think of a new plant being planted under the old one to push it outβ€”something SUPPLANTS the old plant.