usurp

/juˈsɝp/

//juˈsɝp// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"usurp" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“usurp” has 7 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #41,933. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#41,933
frequency rank, English
1,433
“U” headwords
7
tracked misspellings
8
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To seize power from another, usually by illegitimate means.

Corpus desk

Index EN-usurp · usurp · English

usurp · rank #41,933 · 7 variants · 8 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #41,933
  • LEN-MID 5 letters
  • VOW-2 2 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 8 pairs
  • VAR-MID 7 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,433
  • PHOTO-FINISH Usman

Nearest frequency peer: Usman (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

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.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “usurp”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “usurp” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

usurp vs usurped
71% similar
usurp vs usurper
71% similar
usurp vs USP
0% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for usurp
PropertyValue
Headwordusurp
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/juˈsɝp/
Letters5
Frequency rank#41,933
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs8
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “usurp”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).usurplands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “Usman” (#41,932), “uppermost” (#41,930), “untoward” (#41,929). Among 1,433 “U” headwords, “usurp” is #41,933. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 7 spelling variants around usurp (IPA /juˈsɝp/), averb. Corpus frequency is #41,933 among 1,433 “U” headwords. Wiktionary lists 4 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for usurp, with forms such as "suurp", "usrup", and "ussurp". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 8 confusable-pair relationships, "usurped", "usurper", "USP", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English usurpen, from Old French usurper, from Latin ūsūrpō (ūsus use + rapiō seize). The correct English form is usurp, spelled U-S-U-R-P.

Definition

  1. 1
    To seize power from another, usually by illegitimate means.
  2. 2
    To use and assume the coat of arms of another person.
  3. 3
    To take the place rightfully belonging to someone or something else.
  4. 4
    To make use of.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

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

  1. [S]o he dies, But soon revives, Death over him no power Shall long usurp […]
  2. Most Republicans in Congress are complying as Mr. Trump usurps the power of the national legislature, as laid out in Article 1 of the Constitution.

Etymology

From Middle English usurpen, from Old French usurper, from Latin ūsūrpō (ūsus use + rapiō seize).

This word in other languages

usurpar(Español)usurper(Français)usurpieren(Deutsch)usurpar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • suurp
  • usrup
  • ussurp
  • usupr
  • usurpp
  • usurrp
  • uusrp

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of usurp - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

suurp2usrup2ussurp1usupr2usurpp1usurrp1uusrp2
Edit distance from "usurp"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). 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 /juˈsɝp/.
What does "usurp" mean?
As a verb, "usurp" means: To seize power from another, usually by illegitimate means.
What words are commonly confused with "usurp"?
"usurp" is commonly confused with "usurped", "usurper", "USP". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "usurp"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "usurp" is /juˈsɝp/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "usurp"?
From Middle English usurpen, from Old French usurper, from Latin ūsūrpō (ūsus use + rapiō seize). See the full etymology section above for more details.
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.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "usurp", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 5 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

Usman#41,932Yonge#41,963splat#41,898sneer#41,890

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (7 here; floor ≥5).

woolen7 variantsYoussef7 variantsskeet7 variantsShari7 variants

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

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list