Oust is a transitive verb meaning to force someone or something out of a position or place, or to deprive someone of power or status. It conveys a decisive removal, often through pressure or authority, and can be used in political, organizational, or everyday contexts. The word emphasizes action and removal rather than mere suggestion.
"The board voted to oust the chairman amid allegations of misconduct."
"A new manager was installed to oust the previous regime and revitalize the company culture."
"The rebels sought to oust the government and take control of key institutions."
"After the scandal, the director was ousted from the company and faced investigations."
Oust comes from the Old French ouster, meaning to shove out or drive away, with the prefix hauster in some medieval texts implying forceful removal. The root is tied to Latin ausus, from audere “to dare,” indicating the act of daring someone to leave or the act of driving someone out. By Middle English, oust evolved to signify forcing someone from power or position, often through collective or legal authority rather than mere dismissal. The semantic shift emphasizes an assertive removal, contrasting with milder terms like remove or dismiss. First known uses appear in the 14th and 15th centuries in English political and ecclesiastical records, where ousting leaders, bishops, or officials reflected upheavals within institutions. Over time, the term broadened to include any forcible ejecting of a person or thing from a location or role, maintaining a sense of finality and authority. Today, oust is common in journalism and political commentary, signaling robust action and a clear break with the previous status quo. The word’s compact form and strong plosive sounds contribute to its punchy usage in headlines and speeches, reinforcing its sense of decisive removal across formal and informal registers.
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Words that rhyme with "Oust"
-ust sounds
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Pronounce as /aust/ in US and UK; the vowel sounds like the long “aw” in “saw” but shorter. Start with a rounded, open-mid back vowel, then end with a voiceless alveolar stop? Wait—“oust” ends with /st/ cluster. In IPA, it's /aʊst/? Correction: The standard pronunciation is /aʊst/ in many dialects? Hold on. The correct pronunciation is /aʊst/ in English? Actually typical: /aʊst/ (like “out” with s+t). Many dictionaries give /aust/ without a separate vowel symbol, effectively /aʊst/ for US/UK. For American English, you hear a diphthong starting near /a/ moving toward /ʊ/ producing /aʊst/. The key is starting with the open back vowel and gliding into a tight /ʊ/ before the /st/. Place the tongue low-mid back, lips neutral or slightly rounded, finish with a sharp /st/ cluster. Audio reference available in dictionaries and Forvo.
Common mistakes: 1) Treating it as a simple /ɔst/ like 'lost'—omit the correct open-diphthong quality; 2) Dropping the /t/ or pronouncing as /aʊs/ with soft /t/— keep a crisp /t/ release; 3) Misplacing the tongue so it sounds like /oʊst/; ensure the starting point is a low/back vowel and you glide to /ʊ/ before /st/. Practice with minimal pairs to feel the /st/ ending and the beginning diphthong. Use a mirror to check lip rounding and a quick tongue snap for /t/.
Across accents, the main variation is diphthong quality and rhotics. In General American, /aʊ/ glides quickly to /ʊ/ with a strong /st/ cluster and rhotics or not depending on adjacent vowels. In RP/UK, the /aʊ/ remains a clear diphthong with shorter duration and less rounding, ending with a crisp /t/. Australian English may feature a slightly centralized vowel quality and a less intense /t/ release, but the /st/ remains clear. Overall, the core is /aʊst/ with minor vowel height and length differences.
The challenge lies in the tight diphthong /aʊ/ transitioning quickly into the /st/ cluster, plus timing of the /t/ release. Some speakers mis-hold the /t/ or mispronounce the diphthong as /ɔ/ or /oʊ/, creating /ɔst/ or /oʊst/. Also, the stiff release of /t/ after a short, clipped nucleus makes it sound abrupt if you don’t articulate the alveolar /t/ clearly. Focusing on the glide and the crisp consonants helps. Use IPA cues and shadowing to nail the rhythm.
A unique query for Oust concerns whether the word can be syllabified or stressed differently in compound phrases. In general, oust is a monosyllable with primary stress on the single syllable; there is no secondary stress in simple forms. In phrases like oust the incumbent, the emphasis remains on the verb as the main verb action, with secondary emphasis shaping rhythm rather than stress. IPA remains /aʊst/ across standard dialects.
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