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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of arrogate
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
Disney arrogates those traits, skills, and experiences, essentially using modern female ideals to challenge traditional masculine ideals.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 Dec. 2024
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
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
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 crescendo to this assault on expertise landed in June, when the majority’s Chevron decision arrogated to the courts regulatory calls that have been made by civil servant scientists, physicians and lawyers for the last 40 years.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 10 July 2024
The institution of the caliphate, now arrogated to themselves by the Umayyads, was thus transformed into arbitrary hereditary rule.
—Mohammed Ayoob, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2016
The Editors, National Review, 29 Apr. 2025
Disney arrogates those traits, skills, and experiences, essentially using modern female ideals to challenge traditional masculine ideals.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 Dec. 2024
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
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
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 crescendo to this assault on expertise landed in June, when the majority’s Chevron decision arrogated to the courts regulatory calls that have been made by civil servant scientists, physicians and lawyers for the last 40 years.
—The Editors, Scientific American, 10 July 2024
The institution of the caliphate, now arrogated to themselves by the Umayyads, was thus transformed into arbitrary hereditary rule.
—Mohammed Ayoob, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrogate
Verb
-
The White House, with Vice President JD Vance’s experience in tech, should seize this moment to build a national AI strategy that does not leave the workers behind.—
Lynn Forester de Rothschild,
Time,
11 May 2025
-
This time, the case moved forward alongside multiple simultaneous investigations and cases in other states, and in 2018, the federal government seized Backpage and it was taken down.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
11 May 2025
Verb
-
Wing-backs James McClean and Ryan Barnett were first choice for much of the campaign before January arrival Ryan Longman eventually usurped Barnett down the right flank.—
Richard Sutcliffe,
New York Times,
9 May 2025
-
After years of gradually usurping many forms of legacy media, podcasts are set to get their flowers on one of Hollywood’s biggest nights.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
7 May 2025
Verb
-
But white farmers are being brutally killed, and their land is being confiscated in South Africa.—
Shannon K. Kingston,
ABC News,
13 May 2025
-
Our families could be dishonored in public, our personal memories confiscated for storage inside the Criminal Archives.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
13 May 2025
Verb
-
Combs returns to the scene shortly thereafter and appears to grab at the phone.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
14 May 2025
-
The Pineapple Express actress allegedly grabbed and struck van Ree's arm in an altercation at a Seattle airport.—
Alex Gurley,
People.com,
13 May 2025
Verb
-
Additionally, a complaint filed against Radford on April 4 and obtained by PEOPLE alleges that the company continued to occupy its headquarters in Costa Mesa, Calif.—
Natalia Senanayake,
People.com,
12 May 2025
-
The Filipino male vocal troupe is the only non-solo musical act to occupy more than one position.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
11 May 2025
Verb
-
But McLaughlin claimed that a Dallas Police detective inadvertently attached the wrong photo to the entry.—
Rick Jervis,
USA Today,
18 May 2025
-
Wars claim the lives of innocent children as well as warriors.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrogate. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share