Vocabulary Builder — Essay & Answer Writing
Supplant
To supersede and replace something or someone previously established, especially by force, strategy, or the introduction of a superior alternative
Old French supplanter, from Latin supplantare (to trip up, overthrow); sub- (under) + planta (sole of the foot). Originally implied deliberate displacement; in modern usage, the sense of competitive replacement predominates.
"Analysts warn that generative AI tools could supplant entry-level white-collar jobs in India's IT services sector before adequate reskilling infrastructure is in place."
Useful for GS-3 (Economy, S&T) and Essay answers on technology and labour. Use when discussing how digital payments have supplanted cash transactions (India's UPI displacing cheque-based systems), how renewable energy may supplant coal in India's energy mix by 2047, or how AI automation threatens to supplant routine cognitive work. Also relevant to GS-2 for discussing how ordinances may supplant parliamentary deliberation. Distinguish from 'supplement' (adding to something without replacing it), supplant implies the original is rendered obsolete. In 2026, the AI displacement debate and India's 'Future of Work' policy discussions make this word especially relevant for essay and GS-3 answers.
