ouster

noun

oust·​er ˈau̇-stər 

1

a

: a wrongful dispossession

b

: a judgment removing an officer or depriving a corporation of a franchise

2

: expulsion

Examples of ouster in a Sentence

The news reported the ouster of the dictator.

the dictator's ouster by the rebels

Recent Examples on the Web

Former committee Chair Steve Southerland, R-Morristown, who led the Senate panel last year, was replaced in the top post by Sen. Shane Reeves, R-Murfreesboro ― though Senate leaders have declined to say publicly that defeat of the governor's bill was the specific reason for Southerland’s ouster. —Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

Following his ouster, Shooter reemerged with a new company, Voyager Communications, which launched the Valient Comics imprint. —Rob Salkowitz, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

As the legality of the ouster is debated, the reality within the office is this: There’s effectively nobody in charge. —Kate Knibbs, ArsTechnica, 28 June 2025

That all went out the window with the ouster of Iran’s last absolute monarch, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 17 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Anglo-French, from oster, ouster to oust

First Known Use

1531, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

ouster

noun

oust·​er ˈau̇s-tər 

: the act or an instance of ousting or being ousted

Legal Definition

ouster

noun

oust·​er ˈau̇s-tər 

1

: wrongful dispossession especially of a cotenant

2

: a judgment removing a public officer or depriving a corporation of a public franchise