oust

verb

ˈau̇st How to pronounce oust (audio)
Definition of oustnext
1
as in to eject
to drive or force out she was ousted from her job after it was proven she'd been pilfering company supplies

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to depose
to remove from a position of prominence or power (as a throne) the people finally rose up and ousted the corrupt dictator

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to evict
to end the occupancy or possession of the squatters were forcibly ousted from the abandoned building

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb oust contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of oust are eject, evict, and expel. While all these words mean "to drive or force out," oust implies removal or dispossession by power of the law or by force or compulsion.

police ousted the squatters

When would eject be a good substitute for oust?

The words eject and oust can be used in similar contexts, but eject carries an especially strong implication of throwing or thrusting out from within as a physical action.

ejected an obnoxious patron from the bar

In what contexts can evict take the place of oust?

The synonyms evict and oust are sometimes interchangeable, but evict chiefly applies to turning out of house and home.

evicted for nonpayment of rent

When might expel be a better fit than oust?

While the synonyms expel and oust are close in meaning, expel stresses a thrusting out or driving away especially permanently which need not be physical.

a student expelled from college

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of oust Former Senate President Wilton Simpson led the charge to oust Public Counsel J.R. Kelly, who argued for reasonable rates on behalf of consumers and blocked FPL from charging for a natural gas fracking project in Oklahoma. — Orlando Sentinel and South Florida Sun Sentinel Editorial Boards, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025 The strategy used by the Trump administration to reduce the size of government has been indiscriminate and far-reaching, meant to oust civil servants as fast as possible in as many agencies as possible while demoralizing the workers that remain on the job. — Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 5 Mar. 2025 Jem, Hunter, Tiffany, Venus, and Q were all ousted while holding an unplayed immunity idol — with the last four all occurring in a row. — Dalton Ross, EW.com, 26 Feb. 2025 Unilever’s board reportedly ousted Schumacher just a day earlier after deciding that Fernandez was better suited to execute the company’s turnaround plan, according to a report in the Financial Times that cited an anonymous source. — Robert Olsen, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for oust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oust
  1. eject
  2. depose
  3. evict
  4. out
  5. topple
  6. deprive
  7. banish
  8. unseat
Verb
  • McCaffery was ejected in his final game coaching the Hawkeyes, a 106-94 loss to Illinois on Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament.
    — Adam Zagoria, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The Sun periodically ejects huge bubbles of plasma from its surface that contain an intense magnetic field.
    — Shirsh Lata Soni, JSTOR Daily, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of eject
Verb
  • To be clear: Schumer is not at risk of being deposed in short order, and Democrats do not carry House Republicans’ appetite for cannibalizing their own.
    — Philip Elliott, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
  • On July 10, Jane became queen but was deposed nine days later after her support melted away in the wake of an uprising by Mary’s supporters.
    — Pan Pylas, Chicago Tribune, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of depose
Verb
  • According to the owners of the Prince Charles, Aziz’s company wanted to modify its lease, to make the cinema easier to evict.
    — Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025
  • The documentary follows the Israeli government’s attempt to evict the villagers by force, having claimed the land for a military training facility and firing range in 1981.
    — Lex Harvey, CNN, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of evict
Verb
  • On her way out, Danielle outed herself as a Traitor to Britney, Dolores Catania, Dylan Efron, Ivar Mountbatten and Gabby Windey.
    — Dana Rose Falcone, People.com, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The new policy also has the virtue of sparing transgender people of the need to choose — or to effectively out themselves as transgender, which can be uncomfortable and, in some places, even dangerous.
    — Steve Chapman, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of out
Verb
  • The storm, which produced violent tornadoes, raging wildfires, and blinding dust storms, decimated homes, toppled vehicles, and left entire communities reeling from the devastation.
    — Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
  • It should be mentioned that on Jan. 16, in a game on Long Island, Konecny toppled into the end wall, with his right shoulder seemingly taking the brunt of the impact.
    — Kevin Kurz, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of topple
Verb
  • Adolescents also may be chronically sleep deprived due to school, sports and social activity schedules.
    — Beth Ann Malow, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2025
  • The ongoing abuse and molestation deprived the children from accessing the education benefits they were entitled to as students, according to the complaint.
    — Julia Marnin, Sacramento Bee, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of deprive
Verb
  • Rather, the world was becoming more resourceful with its distractions: futility is easier to banish than death.
    — Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
  • While lapidary work involves precise and sometimes physically demanding tasks, the CEYLONS female gem-cutting program aims to banish any and all misconceptions that such labor is unsuitable for women.
    — Kyle Roderick, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of banish
Verb
  • Peterson has previously pledged to run at least three times to try to build momentum to unseat Fulcher.
    — Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Crypto’s push to unseat opposition lawmakers and install pro-crypto candidates paid off handsomely, flipping key seats and cementing the sector as a major political force in Washington.
    — MacKenzie Sigalos, CNBC, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of unseat

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Cite this Entry

“Oust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oust. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

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