oust

verb

ˈau̇st 

ousted; ousting; ousts

transitive verb

1

a

: 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.

b

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

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

2

: to take the place of : supplant

must be careful that quantity does not oust quality

—R. V. Williams

Synonyms

• banish
• boot (out)
• bounce
• cast out
• chase
• dismiss
• drum (out)
• eject
• expel
• extrude
• kick out
• out
• rout
• run off
• throw out
• turf (out) [chiefly British]
• turn out

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

The White House is starting to rebuild the National Security Council with aides top officials believe are staunchly aligned with President Trump's agenda after six people were ousted earlier this month, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News. —Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2025

The move reflects one of the most significant efforts yet to shake up Democratic leadership, which in recent years moved to protect incumbents, particularly after Ocasio-Cortez and Representative Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts ousted long-time incumbents in safe Democrat districts in 2018. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025

Columbia University, which became a hotbed of protests over the Israel-Hamas war last year, capitulated to a similar list of demands from the Trump administration and ousted its interim president in late March. —Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2025

Johnson succeeded McCarthy after the latter was ousted from the Speakership in late 2023, due to opposition from his fellow House Republicans. —Tara Suter, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025

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

Rhymes for oust

• doused
• faust
• joust

Kids Definition

oust

verb

ˈau̇st 

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