Displace vs. Replace — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 27, 2023
Displace" means to move or shift from its usual position, while "Replace" means to take the place of something or fill its position.
Difference Between Displace and Replace
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Displace" typically emphasizes the action of moving something from its original or customary location. In contrast, "Replace" focuses on filling a vacancy or taking the position of something else.
Both "Displace" and "Replace" refer to a change in position or status. However, while "Displace" often implies that the original item remains but is no longer in its usual place, "Replace" suggests that the original item is taken away, and a new one fills its spot.
"Displace" often has a connotation of involuntary movement or shift, such as populations being displaced due to natural disasters. "Replace," meanwhile, implies a deliberate action to substitute one thing for another.
In technical or mechanical contexts, "Displace" might refer to the amount of volume moved, as in an engine's displacement. "Replace," in similar settings, would imply the substitution of one part with another.
Comparison Chart
Part of Speech
Verb
Verb
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Definition
To move or shift from its regular or expected position.
To take the place of something or fill its position.
Context of Usage
Often used in contexts of involuntary movement or shifts.
Commonly implies a deliberate action of substitution.
Connotation
Movement from a position, possibly without a substitute.
Substitution with a new item or element.
Origin
From Old French "desplacer" meaning "to move or dislocate."
From Old French "replacer" meaning "to place again."
Compare with Definitions
Displace
To move something from its customary place.
The earthquake displaced many houses from their foundations.
Replace
To restore to a former place or position.
Replace the books on the shelf.
Displace
To force to leave a place.
The war displaced thousands of people.
Replace
To put something in the place of another.
I had to replace the broken vase.
Displace
To supplant or replace.
New methods displace old traditions.
Replace
To provide a substitute for.
Can you replace sugar with honey in this recipe?
Displace
To move or shift a volume, especially in mechanics.
This engine displaces 3.0 liters.
Replace
To fill a role previously held by another.
The new manager will replace the retiring one.
Displace
To set aside or abandon.
Modern devices displace old techniques.
Replace
To take over a function or role.
Digital payments are replacing cash transactions.
Displace
To move, shift, or force from the usual place or position
Wasn't the net displaced before the puck went in?.
Replace
Take the place of
Ian's smile was replaced by a frown
Displace
To force to leave a place of residence
The conflict displaced thousands of people.
Replace
Put (something) back in a previous place or position
He drained his glass and replaced it on the bar
Displace
To move or shift from the usual place or position, especially to force to leave a homeland or other place of residence
Millions of refugees who were displaced by the war.
Replace
To put back into a former position or place
Replaced the sofa after vacuuming.
Displace
(Chemistry) To replace (an atom, radical, ion, or molecule) in a compound during a reaction.
Replace
To restore or return
Replaced the money he had stolen.
Displace
(Physics) To push aside and occupy the physical space of (a volume of fluid, for example)
A boat that displaces 1,000 cubic meters of water.
Replace
To take the place of
Jets have largely replaced propeller planes. Nurse practitioners are replacing doctors in some clinics.
Displace
To take the place of; supplant
When coal displaced wood as the dominant energy source.
Replace
To fill the place of; provide a substitute for
Replaced the team's coach.
Replaced the wall-to-wall carpeting with hardwood floors. See Usage Note at substitute.
Displace
To discharge from a job, office, or position.
Replace
(transitive) To restore to a former place, position, condition, etc.; to put back
When you've finished using the telephone, please replace the handset.
Displace
To put out of place; to disarrange.
Replace
(transitive) To refund; to repay; to pay back
You can take what you need from the petty cash, but you must replace it tomorrow morning.
Displace
To move something, or someone, especially to forcibly move people from their homeland.
Replace
(transitive) To supply or substitute an equivalent for
I replaced my car with a newer model.
The batteries were dead so I replaced them
Displace
To supplant, or take the place of something or someone; to substitute.
Replace
(transitive) To take over the position or role from.
Displace
To replace, on account of being superior to or more suitable than that which is being replaced.
Electronic calculators soon displaced the older mechanical kind.
Replace
(transitive) To take the place of; to be used instead of
This security pass replaces the one you were given earlier.
Displace
(of a floating ship) To have a weight equal to that of the water displaced.
Replace
(transitive) To demolish (a building) and build an updated form of that building in its place.
Displace
(psychology) To repress.
Replace
To place again.
Displace
To change the place of; to remove from the usual or proper place; to put out of place; to place in another situation; as, the books in the library are all displaced.
Replace
To put in a new or different place.
Displace
To crowd out; to take the place of.
Holland displaced Portugal as the mistress of those seas.
Replace
To place again; to restore to a former place, position, condition, or the like.
The earl . . . was replaced in his government.
Displace
To remove from a state, office, dignity, or employment; to discharge; to depose; as, to displace an officer of the revenue.
Replace
To refund; to repay; to restore; as, to replace a sum of money borrowed.
Displace
To dislodge; to drive away; to banish.
You have displaced the mirth.
Replace
To supply or substitute an equivalent for; as, to replace a lost document.
With Israel, religion replaced morality.
Displace
Take the place of
Replace
To take the place of; to supply the want of; to fulfull the end or office of.
This duty of right intention does not replace or supersede the duty of consideration.
Displace
Force to move;
The refugees were displaced by the war
Replace
To put in a new or different place.
Displace
Move (people) forcibly from their homeland into a new and foreign environment;
The war uprooted many people
Replace
Substitute a person or thing for (another that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working or yielding what is expected);
He replaced the old razor blade
We need to replace the secretary that left a month ago
The insurance will replace the lost income
This antique vase can never be replaced
Displace
Cause to move, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense;
Move those boxes into the corner, please
I'm moving my money to another bank
The director moved more responsibilities onto his new assistant
Replace
Take the place or move into the position of;
Smith replaced Miller as CEO after Miller left
The computer has supplanted the slide rule
Mary replaced Susan as the team's captain and the highest-ranked player in the school
Displace
Remove or force from a position of dwelling previously occupied;
The new employee dislodged her by moving into her office space
Replace
Put in the place of another; switch seemingly equivalent items;
The con artist replaced the original with a fake Rembrandt
Substitute regular milk with fat-free milk
Displace
Put out of its usual place, position, or relationship;
The colonists displaced the natives
Replace
Put something back where it belongs;
Replace the book on the shelf after you have finished reading it
Please put the clean dishes back in the cabinet when you have washed them
Common Curiosities
Does "Displace" always mean removal without a substitute?
Not always. While "Displace" often implies movement, it can also mean replacement.
Is "Displace" always negative?
No, but it often carries connotations of involuntary or unintended movement.
Can "Replace" suggest improvement?
Yes, replacing something often implies substituting with something better or newer.
Can "Replace" mean restoring something to its original position?
Yes, "Replace" can mean restoring something to its former place.
Do both words function as verbs?
Primarily, both "Displace" and "Replace" function as verbs.
Can "Displace" be used in the context of emotions?
Yes, e.g., "His anger was displaced onto innocent bystanders."
Can one thing be both displaced and replaced?
Yes, something can be moved from its position (displaced) and then substituted (replaced).
In what context is "Displacement" used in mechanics?
It refers to the volume moved, e.g., an engine's displacement.
Is "Replacer" a word?
Yes, but it's less common and refers to someone or something that replaces.
What is the antonym of "Replace"?
An antonym could be "maintain" or "keep."
Can you replace something with an older version?
Yes, "Replace" simply implies substitution, not necessarily with something newer.
Does "Displace" always imply physical movement?
No, it can be used metaphorically, e.g., "displaced anger."
What's the noun form of "Replace"?
The noun form is "Replacement."
Can "Displace" mean to take over a role?
Yes, similar to "Replace," it can mean to take over or supplant a role.
Is "Displace" used in science?
Yes, in physics and chemistry, it refers to the shift or movement of particles or fluids.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
