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Usurp vs Extort - What's the difference?

usurp | extort |

As verbs the difference between usurp and extort

is that usurp is to seize power from another, usually by illegitimate means while extort is to wrest from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity; to wrench away (from); to tear away; to wring (from); to exact; as, to extort contributions from the vanquished; to extort confessions of guilt; to extort a promise; to extort payment of a debt.

usurp

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To seize power from another, usually by illegitimate means.
  • To use and assume the coat of arms of another person.
  • (obsolete) To make use of.
  • * 1662 , , Appendix, A Collection of Several Philosophical Writings of Dr. Henry More, p. 149:
  • ""

    extort

    English

    (Webster 1913)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To wrest from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity; to wrench away (from); to tear away; to wring (from); to exact; as, to extort contributions from the vanquished; to extort confessions of guilt; to extort a promise; to extort payment of a debt.
  • (legal) To obtain by means of the offense of extortion.
  • (transitive, and, intransitive, medicine, ophthalmology) To twist outwards.
  • Derived terms

    * extortion * extortionate * extortionist

    See also

    * intort