CEFR C2

expropriate

verb

Meaning

Take property from its owner for public use or benefit, often by a government authority.

Examples

The state moved to expropriate the abandoned factory to make room for a community park.
Foreign investors feared that the new administration might expropriate their assets without fair compensation.

Synonyms: seize, confiscate, appropriate, commandeer

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expropriate (C2)

verb

Pronunciation: /ɛkˈsproʊprieɪt/

Definition

Take property from its owner for public use or benefit, often by a government authority.

Examples

The state moved to expropriate the abandoned factory to make room for a community park.
Foreign investors feared that the new administration might expropriate their assets without fair compensation.
Legislation was passed to expropriate land along the riverbank for essential flood defense projects.

How to Use expropriate

expropriate something from someone (prepositional phrase): Taking an item away from a specific owner. — "They had to expropriate the plot from the original landowner."
be expropriated by someone (collocation): Passive construction used when the authority is the focus. — "The property was expropriated by the state last year."

Synonyms of expropriate

Words with a similar meaning to expropriate:

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