oust
Americanverb (used with object)
-
ousts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
ousted,
past participle, past
-
ousting
present participle
verb
-
to force out of a position or place; supplant or expel
-
property law to deprive (a person) of the possession of land
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
oustsimple
-
oustssimple
-
have oustedperfect
-
has oustedperfect
-
am oustingprogressive
-
are oustingprogressive
-
is oustingprogressive
-
have been oustingperfect progressive
-
has been oustingperfect progressive
Past
-
oustedsimple
-
had oustedperfect
-
was oustingprogressive
-
were oustingprogressive
-
had been oustingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of oust
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English, from Anglo-French ouster “to remove,” Old French oster, from Latin obstāre “to stand in the way, oppose” ( ob- ob- + stāre “to stand ”)
Explanation
A teacher may oust you from class if you are being disruptive, or you might oust your class president from her position if you beat her in the election. To oust is to “expel,” “kick out,” or “remove and replace.” When you oust someone, you are “giving them the boot.” A sports team is ousted from a tournament if they lose an elimination round. Oust often implies both removal and replacement. The automobile, for instance, ousted the horse as the preferred means of travel. Likewise, when a politician ousts someone from office they are taking that person’s place in office. And if you beat the all-time record in a hot-dog eating tournament, then you oust the previous record holder from their position.
Vocabulary lists containing oust
A Long Way Gone
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT words Beginning with "O"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: November 10 - 16, 2018
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
India is also too big and decentralized for any group to oust the government simply by paralyzing the national capital.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
She was grateful to civilians for protesting to oust Syrsky.
From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026
Being a climber, I have a lot of strength that oust don’t have,” Haferling said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Meanwhile, in north west England, Labour's Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham is widely anticipated to launch a bid to oust Starmer as prime minister if he wins the Makerfield by-election.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
He started with Allen Textiles Inc., buying up enough shares to oust the family from control.
From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson
GameStop ousts its C.E.O. and elevates its top shareholder.
From New York Times ● Jun. 8, 2023
If the NFL ousts Snyder — and takes control of the team — would that re-open the door for Bezos?
From Washington Times ● Feb. 26, 2023
Toluse Olorunnipa, Tom Hamburger, Josh Dawsey and Greg Miller wrote, in an article headlined "Trump ousts 2 key witnesses in impeachment" in the print edition:
From Salon ● Feb. 11, 2020
After a review, the board of Weinstein Co. ousts Weinstein from the company he co-founded alongside his brother, Bob.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2018
Or where a higher religion ousts the older one, the ritual is still retained among the folk, though its meaning may be forgotten.
From The Religion of the Ancient Celts by J. A. MacCulloch
Parents have been concerned about the school since the summer when executive director David Hussey and assistant principal in charge of athletics Devon Rose were ousted.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Speaking at her daily media briefing, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum welcomed Chávez to Mexico as she reiterated her government's support for ousted Peruvian President Pedro Castillo.
From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026
CK Hutchison is seeking $2 billion in damages from Panama in international arbitration panels after being ousted from the ports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Burnham succeeded the unpopular Keir Starmer, ousted only two years after he led Labour to power in a landslide election victory.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
He said that his statement about President Kennedy’s assassination was not why he had been ousted from the Muslims.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
On Tuesday, two progressive congressional candidates in Michigan beat out establishment Democrats in House races — in one case, ousting an incumbent.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026
Brazilian Joao Havelange was the last person to unseat a Fifa president in an election, ousting Sir Stanley Rous in 1974.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
The company argues that its ousting undermined Panama’s reputation as a reliable place to do business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026
Just a short walk away, protesters marched under placards calling for his ousting as chants demanding an end to the resort project echoed off government buildings.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
When I arrived at the theater a few mornings later, I was horrified to find that the company had drawn up a petition demanding the ousting of DeSheim.
From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
