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
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Recent Examples of arrogate
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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrogate
Verb
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Morena overhauled the court system late last year, fueling protests and criticism that the reform is an attempt by those in power to seize on their political popularity to gain control of the branch of government, that was until now, out of their reach.—
MARÍA VERZA,
Arkansas Online,
3 June 2025
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Flores, a 70-year-old retired welder, had illegally seized a home five years ago after its owner, the California Department of Transportation, had left it vacant.—
Liam Dillon,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
Verb
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The lawsuit says the administration is usurping Congress' power to direct how federal money will be spent and to pass laws.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
28 May 2025
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Comments Netflix's Sirens finds Milly Alcock's Simone usurping Julianne Moore's Michaela as queen of the Kell family.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Her family remained in Italy until 1939, when the Italian Racial Laws barred Jews from certain jobs and ordered Jewish property and businesses to be confiscated.—
Grace Gilson,
Sun Sentinel,
5 June 2025
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After Parker was revealed to be Spider-Man, the glasses were confiscated and haven't been seen since.—
Jeremy Hanna,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Scott grabbed some pizza and returned to park her Subaru near the West Shore Market to wait for Serafini.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2025
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Appeal To All Five Senses People still like going out, meeting others and grabbing coffee.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Nearly the entire Republican Party, which occupied about seventy percent of congressional seats, voted for it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
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In a space formerly occupied by the finance ministry, a towering glass ceiling shelters statues that once cavorted in open courtyards.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Snaking between trees or buildings may cause the drone to crash – the post cites examples where riders claim to have survived this way.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Sneed, the key witness for the prosecution, claimed Glossip paid him $10,000 to kill Van Treese.—
Melissa Quinn,
CBS News,
9 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Arrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrogate. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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