usurp

[juːˈzɜː(r)p]

/[juːˈzɜː(r)p]/ verb

The verdict

“usurp” is uncommon German (outside the top frequency list), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency German
5
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - usurpieren, sich widerrechtlich (einer Sache/ einer Arbeitsstelle/ einer gesellschaftlichen Position) bemächtigen

Corpus desk

Index DE-usurp · usurp · German

usurp · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "U" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for usurp
PropertyValue
Headwordusurp
LanguageGerman
Part of speechVerb
IPA[juːˈzɜː(r)p]
Letters5
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Langschwanz-Rang von „usurp“ im Deutschen

usurpsitzt jenseits der 100.000 häufigsten deutschen Formen, im Schwanz spezialisierten oder seltenen Wortschatzes.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

usurp is uncommon German outside the top frequency list, classed as averb, transcribed [juːˈzɜː(r)p]. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "usurpieren, sich widerrechtlich (einer Sache/ einer Arbeitsstelle/ einer gesellschaftlichen Position) bemächtigen".

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for usurp, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since no other headword is close enough in sound or shape to pair with it.

This headword's origin isn't recorded in our source data, so its spelling is easiest to reason about phoneme by phoneme, absent a documented history. The correct German form is usurp, spelled U-S-U-R-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    usurpieren, sich widerrechtlich (einer Sache/ einer Arbeitsstelle/ einer gesellschaftlichen Position) bemächtigen

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how usurp appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. "To this I reply, that it is no way applicable to the case; for my lord of Orleans never intruded on any other's domination, by Violence, nor did he attempt to usurp the power and authority of the king."

Synonyms

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "usurp"?
"usurp" is spelled U-S-U-R-P. The IPA pronunciation is [juːˈzɜː(r)p].
What does "usurp" mean?
As a verb, "usurp" means: usurpieren, sich widerrechtlich (einer Sache/ einer Arbeitsstelle/ einer gesellschaftlichen Position) bemächtigen
How do you pronounce "usurp"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "usurp" is [juːˈzɜː(r)p]. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "usurp" come from?
"usurp" is a German word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list