replace

verb

ri-ˈplās How to pronounce replace (audio)
Definition of replacenext
1
as in to supersede
to take the place of the old street lights were replaced by more energy-efficient models

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in to return
to bring, send, or put back to a former or proper place took the fragile vase down to look at it and then gently replaced it on the shelf

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word replace distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of replace are displace, supersede, and supplant. While all these words 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

When is it sensible to use displace instead of replace?

The words displace and replace are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, displace implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands

When would supersede be a good substitute for replace?

While the synonyms supersede and replace are close in meaning, supersede implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones

In what contexts can supplant take the place of replace?

The synonyms supplant and replace are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

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 replace Ashley Pointer will replace Reeves, who resigned during the May 12 board meeting. —Edward McKinnon, Arkansas Online, 21 May 2025 Teams deemed the valve needed to be replaced and the rocket needed to be rolled back from the pad to Boeing’s Vertical Integration Facility. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 May 2025 More news to know now The acting FEMA administrator was replaced after contradicting Trump on abolishing the agency. —Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 10 May 2025 President Donald Trump suggested Friday that the Wall Street Journal should replace its editor with the New York Post’s following a string of critical articles regarding his tariff plans. —Elaine Mallon, The Washington Examiner, 9 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for replace
Recent Examples of Synonyms for replace
  1. supersede
  2. return
  3. restore
Verb
  • However, this does mean that this technology is becoming dated and has been superseded by the following two generations.
    — Matt Morris, Space.com, 25 May 2025
  • This, though, was superseded by the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act, which granted birthright citizenship to all non-citizen Native Americans born within the U.S. And, in 1898, the high court ruled that children born in the U.S. to non-citizen immigrants were indeed birthright citizens, Miller said.
    — Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 15 May 2025
Definition of supersede
Verb
  • Jennifer Lopez returns as host for the first time since 2015.
    — Jackie Fields, People.com, 27 May 2025
  • Nesmith returned late in the fourth quarter but was limping noticeably afterward.
    — Jack Magruder, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025
Definition of return
Verb
  • Amidst this colorful history, how will Piccioli restore the brand to a traditional European design house after Demna Gvasalia’s experimental years, which brought pop culture and streetwear into the high fashion brand’s luxury ethos?
    — Nadja Sayej, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
  • The four-floor building incorporates Washington, DC’s oldest synagogue, with the 146-year-old historic brick synagogue moved and restored to sit alongside the modern museum building at the corner of 3rd and F Streets NW.
    — Kathryn Palmer, USA Today, 23 May 2025
Definition of restore

Browse Nearby Words

repining (for)
replace
replaceable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Replace.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/replace. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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