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

the ouster of the dictator

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

Before Hasina’s ouster, the United States didn’t do much to check the course of democratic backsliding in Bangladesh. —Muhib Rahman, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025

According to three people with direct knowledge of Waltz’s ouster, Loomer had nothing to do with it. —Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025

Parker Thayer, an investigative researcher at the Capital Research Center, told the Washington Examiner that Bowers’s ouster should be viewed as a warning sign. —Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 8 Nov. 2025

Even after the county finalized Corpus’ ouster, public commenters voiced frustration and challenged the process. —Ryan MacAsero, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 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