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Supplant
To take the place of someone or something; to replace, displace, or take over from the current holder.
verb💡
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.
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Sounds Like
/səˈplænt/
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Looks Like
Looks like two parts: 'sup-' and 'plant' — imagine a plant being planted under an old one to push it out.
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Remember This
Supplant often carries a sense of replacement through competition or undermining, common in politics, business, and technology contexts.
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Other Forms
supplantationnoun
supplanternoun
supplantedadjective
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Connect With
replace, displace, supersede, oust, dethrone, usurp
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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).
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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 out—something SUPPLANTS the old plant.
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Insolence
nounBold, disrespectful impudence or attitude toward someone, especially toward authority.
Censure
verbTo express strong disapproval of (someone or something); to condemn or rebuke, typically in a formal or official manner.
Coalition
nounA union or combination of groups or parties for a common purpose; a temporary alliance.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Usurp
verbTo seize power, control, or a position by force or without legal right; to replace someone by coercive or illicit means.
Abandon
verbTo give up completely, to desert or leave behind, or to relinquish a claim, plan, or responsibility.
Abate
verbTo decrease in amount or intensity; to reduce or end something.
Abolish
verbTo formally end or repeal a system, practice, or institution; to officially put an end to something established.
Abridge
verbTo shorten (a text, speech, or other work) by omitting parts; to condense.
Abscond
verbTo depart secretly or flee, especially to avoid detection or arrest.
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