as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
arrogated the corner office without obtaining prior approval
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Recent Examples of arrogate
What shouldn’t happen is for the federal government to arrogate to itself nationalization powers over what fans are so passionate about.
—
John Tamny, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
But all of those ideas for spending or tax rebates, again, all of those are congressional authority that the president is arrogating to himself—something else that would have startled the founders of the country all those 250 years ago.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
Like Mao and Deng before him, Xi Jinping has arrogated to himself great power.
—Joseph Torigian, Foreign Affairs, 23 June 2025
Trump arrogated to himself the authority to impose sweeping tariffs on the entire world, a power that properly belongs to Congress, and has caused turmoil throughout the economy; many economic indicators are now pointing in the wrong direction.
—The Editors, National Review, 29 Apr. 2025
Back before the federal government arrogated to itself an outsize role as financier of college education, the Wayne States of the world were where ambitious people who didn’t have a lot of money, who wanted to save money on college, or both, got their degrees.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024
In every period, the essence of politics has been that a tin-pot tsar who wants to arrogate to himself the right to personal, unaccountable power needs to intimidate the honest people who are not afraid of him.
—Alexei Navalny, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
John Tamny, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
But all of those ideas for spending or tax rebates, again, all of those are congressional authority that the president is arrogating to himself—something else that would have startled the founders of the country all those 250 years ago.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
Like Mao and Deng before him, Xi Jinping has arrogated to himself great power.
—Joseph Torigian, Foreign Affairs, 23 June 2025
Trump arrogated to himself the authority to impose sweeping tariffs on the entire world, a power that properly belongs to Congress, and has caused turmoil throughout the economy; many economic indicators are now pointing in the wrong direction.
—The Editors, National Review, 29 Apr. 2025
Back before the federal government arrogated to itself an outsize role as financier of college education, the Wayne States of the world were where ambitious people who didn’t have a lot of money, who wanted to save money on college, or both, got their degrees.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024
In every period, the essence of politics has been that a tin-pot tsar who wants to arrogate to himself the right to personal, unaccountable power needs to intimidate the honest people who are not afraid of him.
—Alexei Navalny, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrogate
Verb
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Aemond was named Prince Regent in the aftermath, and seized control of the Iron Throne while Aegon recovered.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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Federal customs officials at Washington Dulles Airport seized 139 pounds of Ethiopian khat, a plant chewed for its amphetamine-like effect, that was destined for Sacramento.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
18 June 2026
Verb
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The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in March upheld a complaint by Ukraine that Russia’s chess federation had usurped control of the game in areas of Ukraine captured by the Russian military.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
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The two are separate, Bourne writes, even if, in war, the state tries to usurp the country and speak for it.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Abu Safiya also had his eyeglasses confiscated during his detainment and since been experiencing vision issues, according to Abbas.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
20 June 2026
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The prisoners were at one point given life jackets, but they were later confiscated after guards found them being used as pillows, the court document said.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Grant asks Chris about the boxing gloves now for sale in the night store, but Katie forestalls him by running over and grabbing them, nearly flattening Chris.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
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Demonstrators grabbed bricks from the ground to throw at police, as tear gas was deployed in Geneva's streets, witnesses told Reuters.—
Landon Mion,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Fahed Rahal said soccer occupies a unique place within Algerian culture, serving as a source of identity and connection across generations.—
J.M. Banks
June 15,
Kansas City Star,
16 June 2026
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Siebel Newsom, 51, has occupied a higher profile position compared to spouses of other state leaders.—
Lia Russell,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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While speaking with the Daily Mail, Daveigh's mom claimed that her daughter struggled with addiction.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
21 June 2026
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Sina Azodi, director of George Washington University’s Middle East studies program, noted Israel’s attacks on Lebanon are an issue for Iran while the US could possibly interpret Tehran claiming to close the Strait of Hormuz as a violation of the memorandum of understanding.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Arrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrogate. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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