Merriam - Webster Word of the day * supersede *

supersede

verb

su·​per·​sede ˌsü-pər-ˈsēd 

superseded; superseding
Synonyms of supersede
transitive verb


a
: to cause to be set aside
b
: to force out of use as inferior




: to take the place or position of




: to displace in favor of another

superseder noun

Did you know?

Language is constantly evolving, with old spellings and meanings superseded by new ones over time. Naturally, supersede itself has its share of predecessors. Supersede ultimately comes from the Latin verb supersedēre, meaning "to sit on top of" (sedēre means "to sit"), "to be superior to," or "to refrain from," but it came to English through Scots Middle English, where it was rendered superceden and used synonymously with defer. Modern English speakers are often confused about how to spell supersede—it sometimes turns up as supercede. In fact, some of the earliest records of the word in English show it spelled with a c. Though both spellings can be etymologically justified, over time supersede won out as the "correct" version.

Synonyms

• [url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cut out]cut out[/url]
  
• displace
  
• displant
  
• relieve
  
• replace
  
• substitute
  
• supplant
  

Choose the Right Synonym for [size=24]supersede

REPLACE, DISPLACE, SUPPLANT, SUPERSEDE 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
DISPLACE implies an ousting or dislodging.

war had displaced thousands
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
SUPERSEDE implies replacing a person or thing that has become superannuated, obsolete, or otherwise inferior.

the new edition supersedes all previous ones
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Examples of supersede in a Sentence

Fortunately, the scientific enterprise has its own self-correcting mechanisms that eventually sort things out. Studies that are wrong will be superseded by better studies with different results. Studies that are right will be corroborated by other good studies.—Harriet Hall, Skeptic, 2007

The ancient human carriers of information and understanding—elders, priests, bards, teachers, and community members—are superseded by a more durable and efficient medium, the printed word.—M. Rex Miller, The Millennium Matrix, 2004

Upgrading America's too-old, too-slow telephone network, which took about a century to build, is a massive task. But if you believe predictions that the Internet will one day supersede the telephone as the world's primary means of communications, these companies will be road kill if they simply sit by the wayside.—Bethany McLean, Fortune, 6 Dec. 1999

This edition supersedes the previous one.Former stars were being superseded by younger actors.


Recent Examples on the WebIn most cases, like at UW-Madison, campus policies do not supersede state law and protesters have a right to not respond to law enforcement.[size=18][size=0]—Tamia Fowlkes, Journal Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2024[/size]One group’s right to protest does not supersede the right of others to participate in a joyous event.[size=0]—Lily Altavena, Detroit Free Press, 28 Mar. 2024[/size]In a January superseding indictment, prosecutors claimed that Daibes was working with the government of Qatar, and that Bob Menendez boosted Qatari interests to help Daibes.[size=0]—Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2024[/size]My relationships with my parents are really honest and positive, and that supersedes anything anyone can say about it.[size=0]—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 1 June 2024[/size]See all Example Sentences for supersede 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'supersede.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.[/size]

Word History

Etymology
Middle English (Scots) superceden to defer, from Middle French superceder, from Latin supersedēre to sit on top, refrain from, from super- + sedēre to sit — more at SIT
First Known Use
1654, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of supersede was in 1654