OUST Synonyms: 92 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'oust' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of oust are eject , evict , and expel . While all these words mean "to drive or force out," oust implies removal or dispossession by power of the law or by force or compulsion. // police ousted the squatters

Q: When would 'eject' be a good substitute for 'oust'?

The words eject and oust can be used in similar contexts, but eject carries an especially strong implication of throwing or thrusting out from within as a physical action. // ejected an obnoxious patron from the bar

Q: In what contexts can 'evict' take the place of 'oust'?

The synonyms evict and oust are sometimes interchangeable, but evict chiefly applies to turning out of house and home. // evicted for nonpayment of rent

Q: When might 'expel' be a better fit than 'oust'?

While the synonyms expel and oust are close in meaning, expel stresses a thrusting out or driving away especially permanently which need not be physical. // a student expelled from college

oust

verb

ˈau̇st

Definition of oust

as in to eject

to drive or force out she was ousted from her job after it was proven she'd been pilfering company supplies

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to depose

to remove from a position of prominence or power (as a throne) the people finally rose up and ousted the corrupt dictator

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to evict

to end the occupancy or possession of the squatters were forcibly ousted from the abandoned building

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the verb oust contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of oust are eject, evict, and expel. While all these words mean "to drive or force out," oust implies removal or dispossession by power of the law or by force or compulsion.

police ousted the squatters

When would eject be a good substitute for oust?

The words eject and oust can be used in similar contexts, but eject carries an especially strong implication of throwing or thrusting out from within as a physical action.

ejected an obnoxious patron from the bar

In what contexts can evict take the place of oust?

The synonyms evict and oust are sometimes interchangeable, but evict chiefly applies to turning out of house and home.

evicted for nonpayment of rent

When might expel be a better fit than oust?

While the synonyms expel and oust are close in meaning, expel stresses a thrusting out or driving away especially permanently which need not be physical.

a student expelled from college

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 oust Trump ousted the center’s leadership and replaced it with a Board of Trustees that named him chairman and added his name to the building. — Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026 His career was cut short just two years later when Republican Nancy Mace ousted him in a close election. — Kathleen Parker, Washington Post, 10 July 2026 This administration has been unique for its lack of transparency over why generals are ousted. — Missy Ryan, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026 His government has promised political and economic reform after decades of autocratic rule of the Assad family, which ended when former President Bashar Assad was ousted in an insurgent offensive in December 2024 led by al-Sharaa. — ABC News, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for oust

Recent Examples of Synonyms for oust

Verb

Hull said the bullet had not been fired and was ejected from an officer’s rifle and that the other people interviewed had been cleared by investigators.

— Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Giants manager Tony Vitello came out to argue the call and was ejected by plate umpire Lance Barksdale, the second ejection this season for the first-year skipper.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 July 2026

Definition of eject

Verb

It was revived after he was deposed in 2003 and grew steadily, from nearly 2 million participants that year to about 20 million in the mid-2010s.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 July 2026
Hamad himself seized control after deposing his father, Sheikh Khalifa, in a bloodless palace coup in 1995.

— Jon Gambrell, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

Definition of depose

Verb

In a recent ruling, a Cabarrus County magistrate granted the Mall at Concord Mills Limited Partnership the right to evict EZ Purchase LLC, doing business as Go Green CBD for unpaid rent.

— Catherine Muccigrosso July 14, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2026
Most recently, of course, Sandringham became the new home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, after King Charles spearheaded efforts to evict his disgraced brother from Royal Lodge.

— Emma Banks, InStyle, 12 July 2026

Definition of evict

Verb

The record comes just one day after Argentina toppled Switzerland 3-1 at Kansas City (Arrowhead) Stadium, marking the end of the last World Cup game in the city.

— Caroline Zimmerman, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
In the coastal city of Yueqing in Zhejiang province, more than 1,300 trees were toppled, including at least 700 uprooted, according to state broadcaster CCTV.

— ABC News, ABC News, 12 July 2026

Definition of topple

Verb

Khalil’s lawyers, citing the law, argue government officials are prohibited from collaborating with private individuals in ways that deprive citizens of their constitutional rights.

— David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 14 July 2026
Researchers have argued that allowing private buyers to own such specimens deprives paleontologists the opportunity to study them.

— Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 14 July 2026

Definition of deprive

Verb

Here, Vater and Mary Phillips, Head of Native Plant Habitat Strategy/Certifications at the National Wildlife Federation, share all the details on the right time (and right way) to banish your weeds—and keep them at bay during your next vacation.

— Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 12 July 2026
Mary appears to have a form of treatment-resistant schizophrenia, until chemotherapy, following a diagnosis of lymphoma, banishes her psychiatric symptoms.

— Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026

Definition of banish

Verb

In June 2026, Utah voters unseated a longtime legislative leader, state Senate President Stuart Adams, who had helped get approval for a massive data center in the northwestern part of the state.

— Laura Mullenbach, Fortune, 14 July 2026
Members of the Democratic Socialists of America have staged electoral coups this summer, unseating several high-profile incumbents in Congress.

— Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 13 July 2026

Definition of unseat

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ounces

oust

ousted

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“Oust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oust. Accessed 17 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of oust

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