Definition of oustnext

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 Larkin, the Democratic Socialist of America candidate, is trying to oust incumbent Congressman Jared Moskowitz for the Democratic nomination. Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 2026 Cambodia’s archenemy was neighboring Vietnam, which eventually invaded to oust the Khmer Rouge in 1979. ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026 His successor, Bob Chapek, was ousted in 2022, bringing Iger back into the fold. Jack Dunn, Variety, 16 Aug. 2026 Mistry was ousted from his role in 2016 following public spats with Ratan Tata, who at the time was heading the Tata Trust. Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for oust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oust
Verb
  • The driver, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle and taken to a hospital in critical condition.
    Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Midfielder Yannick Bright was the Miami player ejected and is suspended for Saturday’s game at Nu Stadium.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • After Iran’s last monarch was deposed in 1979, various paramilitary groups that helped hasten his downfall coalesced into the IRGC.
    Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • One of his sons hid the gem in the crack of his cell wall before he was blinded and deposed.
    Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 17 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • The new royal baby is the fifth grandchild for Andrew, who has been stripped of his royal titles, evicted from his sprawling mansion and remains under investigation after being arrested by British police in February.
    Jennifer Hassan, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The draft ordinance would require landlords to provide a valid reason before evicting a tenant or declining to renew their lease.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Wrobleski and Roberts considered Saturday’s outing a solid one, sans the 88-mph slider to Ortiz on the right-middle part of the plate.
    Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Photoplay’s feature Hollywood’s Unmarried Husbands and Wives outed several of the era’s most bankable couples—Clark Gable and Carole Lombard among them—for the crime of cohabitating without paperwork.
    Natalie Hoberman, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Rey toppled Gable with a tilt-a-whirl and a 10-count punches.
    Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • His reinstatement as judge after Assad was toppled and fled the country for Russia in December 2024 is an illustration of the country’s pursuit of transitional justice.
    Paula Hancocks, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • This political uncertainty makes US suppliers seem unreliable, fostering competition and depriving American firms of invaluable insights.
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Israel’s top court ruled in 2025 that the prison service under Ben-Gvir was depriving Palestinians of a minimum subsistence diet.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Plus a few other wackadoodles banished from labels, serving out their sentences in our nuthouse.
    Jeff Rabhan, Rolling Stone, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Rhaenyra also makes the drastic decision of relieving Mysaria of her duties as master of whispers and banishing her from King’s Landing.
    Justin Kroll, Deadline, 9 Aug. 2026
Verb
  • Taylor, who raised more than $280,000 in his bid to unseat Simpson, goes by the moniker Matt the Welder to highlight his working-class upbringing.
    CBS News, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The government that is seated right now in Tennessee don’t want to be unseated.
    Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 18 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Oust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oust. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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