ouster
Americannoun
-
expulsion or removal from a place or position occupied.
The opposition called for the ouster of the cabinet minister.
-
Law.
-
an ejection or eviction; dispossession.
-
a wrongful exclusion from real property.
-
noun
Etymology
Origin of ouster
1525–35; < Anglo-French, noun use of infinitive See oust
Explanation
Use the noun ouster to talk about the process of forcing someone out of a position. If your city's mayor is pressured to leave office, you can describe it as her ouster. When someone is dismissed or strongly influenced to abandon a position or quit a job, it's an ouster. A politician is often vulnerable to an ouster, when others are vying for her position, but your boss at work could also be subject to an ouster if his managers conspired to eliminate his job and force him out. Ouster once meant "kick out of one's house or property," from the Old French word oster, "take away, evict, or dispel."
Vocabulary lists containing ouster
This Week in Words: August 28 - September 1
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!
This Week In Words: April 5–11, 2020
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!
Donald Trump Foreign Policy Address
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.
He becomes the latest top lieutenant fired under Kennedy since the ouster last summer of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez and the February removal of deputy secretary Jim O’Neill.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
He vowed Friday that he’ll fight to remain PM despite Labour calls for his ouster.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
He also is seeking the ouster of Altman and company president Greg Brockman.
From Barron's • Apr. 29, 2026
A U.S. special-forces operative has been charged with using classified information to reap more than $400,000 from bets on the ouster of Venezuela’s president.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026
Demands for Oldham’s ouster were routinely ignored by the city, however.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
