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
Like Mao and Deng before him, Xi Jinping has arrogated to himself great power.
—
Joseph Torigian, Foreign Affairs, 23 June 2025
Politicians exist to spend, and Congress arrogated to itself what was left over after existing Social Security recipients were paid.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 28 May 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
Instead of deferring to the people’s representatives, as the Founders intended, today originalists on the Supreme Court have arrogated power to themselves.
—Saul Cornell / Made By History, TIME, 26 July 2024
The Bibi Files uses a mix of talking-head history and in-the-room vérité to paint its picture of a leader who has arrogated power for corrupt and self-interested reasons — the allegations are of some $250,000 in gifts received in exchange for political favors — to his country’s detriment.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Joseph Torigian, Foreign Affairs, 23 June 2025
Politicians exist to spend, and Congress arrogated to itself what was left over after existing Social Security recipients were paid.
—John Tamny, Forbes.com, 28 May 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
Instead of deferring to the people’s representatives, as the Founders intended, today originalists on the Supreme Court have arrogated power to themselves.
—Saul Cornell / Made By History, TIME, 26 July 2024
The Bibi Files uses a mix of talking-head history and in-the-room vérité to paint its picture of a leader who has arrogated power for corrupt and self-interested reasons — the allegations are of some $250,000 in gifts received in exchange for political favors — to his country’s detriment.
—Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrogate
Verb
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On Iowa State’s next possession, TCU senior safety Bud Clark came up with a massive interception right before the two-minute timeout, giving TCU a great opportunity to seize control of the game with the Horned Frogs getting the ball at halftime.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
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Pokrovsk would be the largest city Russia has seized since Bakhmut in May 2023.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In its court filings Friday, the administration contended that the judge had usurped both legislative and executive authority.—
Michelle L. Price,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
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Twice, the administration appealed, contending that the judiciary had usurped Congress's spending power by directing the executive branch to find the money.—
James Sample,
ABC News,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Milwaukee Marshall High School confiscates a student’s phone until the end of the day for a first offense, requires a parent pickup after a second offense and issues an automatic suspension for repeat violations.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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He once got caught with a knife, but correctional officers didn't confiscate it.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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However, Cena outsmarted him by grabbing the chair, throwing it next to Dom, and pretending to be down on the mat.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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Security camera footage from a nearby apartment complex showed the naked man walking across the street prior to the incident, seemingly talking to himself and grabbing a sign, per NBC 4.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Beijing — When Ho Puay-peng first visited Beijing’s Forbidden City in the late 1980s, the Singaporean architect saw many of the historic courtyards used for storage, filled with garbage, and occupied by danwei (government offices).—
Fred He,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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The Detroit Tigers, who occupied first place the American League Central for 187 of the 194 days in the regular season this year, came up short for the second season in a row.—
Jon Vankin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Even Obama’s outreach to Mamdani, Jones claimed, was more likely his attempt to support future stars who can counter Trump than an attempt to remain relevant.—
Mabinty Quarshie,
The Washington Examiner,
7 Nov. 2025
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Iran unveiled its Fattah missile in 2023, claiming speeds of Mach 13 to 15.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrogate. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
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