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

Three top aides were ousted about a week ago over accusations of leaking, and then the chief of staff whom the other aides accused of conspiring against them was moved out of his role, before getting ousted, too. —The Editors, National Review, 28 Apr. 2025

Hegseth has also blasted the former employees — who were ousted after an internal probe into leaks within the Defense Department, per the administration — in the wake of the Times report. —Steff Danielle Thomas, The Hill, 26 Apr. 2025

Joe Kasper, Hegseth’s chief of staff, is the fourth top official to be ousted in the last week amid turmoil over the use of the messaging app Signal for military purposes. —Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 25 Apr. 2025

Paramount, controlled by chair Shari Redstone via holding company National Amusements, last year ousted former CEO Bob Bakish whose 2023 pay package had amounted to $31.3 million. —Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 25 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)