oust

verb

ˈau̇st

ousted; ousting; ousts

Synonyms of oust next

transitive verb

: to remove from or dispossess of property or position by legal action, by force, or by the compulsion of necessity

The rebels ousted the dictator from power.

: to take away (something, such as a right or authority) : bar, remove

The states do not like attempts by Congress to oust their jurisdiction.

: to take the place of : supplant

must be careful that quantity does not oust quality—

R. V. Williams

Choose the Right Synonym for oust

eject, expel, oust, evict mean to drive or force out.

eject carries an especially strong implication of throwing or thrusting out from within as a physical action.

ejected an obnoxious patron from the bar

expel stresses a thrusting out or driving away especially permanently which need not be physical.

a student expelled from college

oust implies removal or dispossession by power of the law or by force or compulsion.

police ousted the squatters

evict chiefly applies to turning out of house and home.

evicted for nonpayment of rent

Examples of oust in a Sentence

The rebels ousted the dictator from power. Large national banks are ousting local banks in many communities.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The report comes amid turmoil following the unexpected removal early last month of Dewan, who subsequently sued the board for ousting her without cause. —

Molly Gibbs, The Mercury News, 16 Nov. 2024 And in 2022, Chesa Boudin, who advocated for restorative justice and ending mass incarceration, was ousted as San Francisco’s district attorney in a recall. —

Kimmy Yam, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2024 In July, the British company ousted its former CEO Jonathan Akeroyd with Joshua Schulman, a former Michael Kors executive, hoping for a turnaround. —

Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 5 Nov. 2024 The other side: Larry Turner, the police officer looking to oust him, has argued declining crime numbers merely reflect fewer crime reports from residents who've learned police won't respond. —

Andrew Keatts, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for oust

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French oster, ouster to take off, remove, oust, from Late Latin obstare to ward off, from Latin, to stand in the way, from ob- in the way + stare to stand — more at ob-, stand

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of oust was in the 15th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Oust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oust. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

oust

verb

ˈau̇st

: to force or drive out (as from office or from possession of something)

Last Updated: 21 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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oust

verb

Synonyms

Examples of oust in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near oust

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition