displacement
gb/dɪsplˈeɪsmənt/ us/dɪsplˈeɪsmənt/
B2
English
~ 8400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
action
1
movement from usual position
When something is moved from its normal place or position.
Usage pattern:
the displacement of [something] from [its place]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "displacement" with "replacement." "Displacement" focuses on moving something from its place; "replacement" means putting something new in the place of something old.
Synonyms
relocation (Often suggests a planned or organized move, while displacement can be sudden, accidental, or technical.)
Antonyms
stability (Implies that something stays in its place without being moved.)
Collocations
ground displacement
|air displacement
|soil displacement
|lateral displacement
|vertical displacement
Themes
movement
|physical_world
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The earthquake caused significant displacement of the ground along the fault line.
- Engineers measured the displacement of the bridge supports after the flood.
- The displacement of air by the piston drives the machine.
- Even a small displacement of the beam could weaken the entire structure.
Learner examples
- The storm caused the displacement of rocks on the hill.
- Heavy rain led to the displacement of soil near the road.
- They recorded the displacement of the wall after the crash.
Noun
formal
C1
state
2
forced movement of people
When people must leave their homes and live somewhere else because of war, danger, or disaster.
Usage pattern:
the displacement of [people/group] from [a place]
Common mistake:
Learners may use "move" instead of "displacement" in formal writing. In news and reports, "displacement" is preferred when movement is forced and usually large-scale.
Synonyms
forced migration (A broader term often used in policy and academic contexts; "displacement" emphasizes being pushed out of one's home.)
Antonyms
repatriation (Refers to people being returned to their home country or area, the opposite direction of displacement.)
Collocations
mass displacement
|internal displacement
|population displacement
|displacement of civilians
|displacement crisis
Themes
politics
|conflict
|society
|travel
Examples
- The conflict has led to the displacement of thousands of families.
- Flooding caused large-scale displacement along the river delta.
- Agencies are trying to provide shelter and food for people affected by internal displacement.
- Long-term displacement can have serious effects on education and health.
Learner examples
- The war caused the displacement of many people from the city.
- Because of the flood, there was mass displacement in the region.
- The government is working to help families in displacement find housing.
Noun
formal
C1
event
3
loss of jobs by replacement
When people lose their jobs because machines, computers, or other workers do the work instead of them.
Usage pattern:
the displacement of [workers] by [cause]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "people are displaced from work" in casual speech; in work or news contexts, "worker displacement" or "job displacement" is more natural.
Synonyms
job loss (More general and informal; "displacement" is often used in economic or policy discussion to stress replacement by something else.)
Antonyms
job creation (Refers to new jobs being made, which counters the effect of displacement.)
Collocations
worker displacement
|job displacement
|labor displacement
|displacement by automation
Themes
business
|economics
|technology
|work
Examples
- Automation is expected to cause significant worker displacement in the manufacturing sector.
- Policymakers are debating how to handle the displacement of drivers by self-driving vehicles.
- The report examines job displacement linked to outsourcing and offshoring.
- Retraining programs can ease the impact of displacement on older employees.
Learner examples
- Robots may cause the displacement of some factory workers.
- The new software led to the displacement of several office staff.
- Job displacement is a big worry for many people today.
Noun
technical
B2
quantity
4
physics: distance and direction
In physics, how far something has moved from the start to the end point, in a straight line and with a direction.
Usage pattern:
the displacement of [object] from [point] to [point]
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse "distance" and "displacement." Distance is how much ground is covered; displacement is the straight line from the start point to the end point, with direction.
Synonyms
distance (Similar idea but usually does not include direction; in physics, displacement is more precise.)
Antonyms
rest (If an object stays at rest, its displacement is zero.)
Collocations
displacement vector
|resultant displacement
|zero displacement
|calculate displacement
|displacement-time graph
Themes
science
|physics
|education
Examples
- The displacement of the car after five seconds was 20 meters east.
- Students used the graph to calculate the total displacement of the runner.
- Because the object returned to its starting point, its displacement was zero.
- Velocity is defined as displacement divided by time.
Learner examples
- In this exercise, you must find the displacement of the ball.
- The car moved in a circle, but its displacement was zero.
- We draw an arrow to show the displacement and its direction.
Noun
technical
B2
quantity
5
volume of fluid or engine
The amount of water or other liquid that an object pushes away, or the total space inside the cylinders of an engine.
Usage pattern:
[ship/engine] has a displacement of [amount]
Common mistake:
Learners may say "size of the engine" when they mean "engine displacement." In technical or car-related English, "displacement" is the more precise word.
Synonyms
capacity (For engines, "capacity" is close in meaning, but "displacement" is the standard technical term.)
Antonyms
lightweight (A ship described as lightweight has low displacement compared with a heavy, high-displacement vessel.)
Collocations
engine displacement
|water displacement
|ship's displacement
|displacement hull
Themes
science
|engineering
|transport
|technology
Examples
- The car's engine has a displacement of two liters.
- Archimedes discovered that water displacement could be used to measure volume.
- The warship has a full-load displacement of 10,000 tons.
- This type of displacement hull is designed for smooth, efficient travel at low speeds.
Learner examples
- We measured the displacement of the rock by putting it in water.
- This boat has a larger displacement, so it can carry more weight.
- The engine displacement of that motorcycle is 500 cubic centimeters.
Noun
technical
C1
action
6
psychology: shifting emotions to another
In psychology, when a person shows strong feelings toward one person or thing, but the real feelings are actually about someone or something else.
Usage pattern:
displacement of [emotion] onto [someone/something]
Synonyms
projection (A related defense mechanism; projection puts one’s own feelings onto others, while displacement shifts feelings from one target to another.)
Antonyms
direct expression (Involves expressing feelings toward their real cause instead of shifting them to another target.)
Collocations
emotional displacement
|displacement of anger
|displacement onto others
|defense mechanism of displacement
Themes
psychology
|emotions
|health
Examples
- The therapist suggested that his sudden anger at coworkers might be a form of displacement.
- Displacement can cause someone to shout at family members when they are actually upset with their boss.
- In this case study, the child's fear of the parent appears as displacement onto animals.
Learner examples
- Displacement can make a person angry at the wrong person.
- She knew her criticism of her friend was really displacement of her stress from work.
- In psychology class, we learned that displacement is a common defense mechanism.
Grammar
Dictionary form
displacement
IPA
GB/dɪsplˈeɪsmənt/
US/dɪsplˈeɪsmənt/
Syllables & stress
dis - place - ment (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (place)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: displacement
- Plural: displacement, displacements
Word family
Expressions
displacement activity
1/dɪsplˈeɪsmənt æktˈɪvɪti/
fixed phrase
technical
substitute behavior under stress
A small, unimportant action that someone or an animal does instead of doing something that causes stress or conflict.
Examples
- Scratching his head was likely a displacement activity during the tense meeting.
- In animals, grooming can act as a displacement activity when they are unsure what to do.
displacement camp
1/dɪsplˈeɪsmənt kˈæmp/
fixed phrase
formal
camp for displaced people
A temporary place with many tents or shelters where people live after they are forced to leave their homes.
Examples
- Conditions in the displacement camp remain difficult despite international aid.
- Many children in the displacement camp have not been to school for months.
displacement reaction
1/dɪsplˈeɪsmənt ɹiˈækʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
chemical reaction of element replacing another
In chemistry, a reaction where one element pushes out and takes the place of another element in a compound.
Examples
- Adding zinc to copper sulfate solution is a classic example of a displacement reaction.
- Students observed a color change during the displacement reaction in the test tube.
engine displacement
1/ˈɛnd͡ʒən dɪsplˈeɪsmənt/
fixed phrase
technical
total cylinder volume in engine
The total space inside all the cylinders of an engine, which helps show how big and powerful it is.
Examples
- The motorcycle has an engine displacement of 600 cc.
- Higher engine displacement usually means more power but also higher fuel use.
internal displacement
1/ɪntˈɚnəl dɪsplˈeɪsmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
forced movement within one country
When people must leave their homes because of danger but do not cross the border into another country.
Examples
- The conflict has caused widespread internal displacement across the northern provinces.
- Aid workers are focusing on areas with high levels of internal displacement.
mass displacement
1/mˈæs dɪsplˈeɪsmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
large-scale forced movement of people
When very many people are forced to leave their homes at the same time.
Examples
- The earthquake led to mass displacement in the coastal region.
- Mass displacement puts heavy pressure on local services and resources.
population displacement
1/pˌɑpjəlˈeɪʃən dɪsplˈeɪsmənt/
fixed phrase
formal
forced movement of populations
When whole groups of people are made to move from the area where they usually live.
Examples
- The dam project will cause significant population displacement along the river.
- Population displacement has long-term social and economic effects.
water displacement
1/wˈɔtɚ dɪsplˈeɪsmənt/
fixed phrase
amount of water pushed aside
The amount of water that is pushed away when you put something into it.
Examples
- We used water displacement to measure the volume of the irregular stone.
- The experiment demonstrates water displacement when the object is submerged.