arrogate

verb

ˈer-ə-ˌgāt How to pronounce arrogate (audio)
Definition of arrogatenext
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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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 arrogate What shouldn’t happen is for the federal government to arrogate to itself nationalization powers over what fans are so passionate about. — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026 But all of those ideas for spending or tax rebates, again, all of those are congressional authority that the president is arrogating to himself—something else that would have startled the founders of the country all those 250 years ago. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025 Like Mao and Deng before him, Xi Jinping has arrogated to himself great power. — Joseph Torigian, Foreign Affairs, 23 June 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrogate
  1. seize
  2. usurp
  3. confiscate
  4. grab
  5. occupy
  6. claim
Verb
  • The Texas high school football season is underway, and several Fort Worth-area teams seized statement wins.
    — Charles Baggarly August 29, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
  • But while the Jets’ defense piled up takeaways, the rookie quarterback failed to seize the spotlight during the 23-6 loss to the Giants.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of seize
Verb
  • Howie Roseman acquired Bigsby after Week 1, and Bigsby eventually usurped Shipley as Barkley’s top backup.
    — Zach Berman, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
  • In this way, the tech is being used to elevate human intelligence, rather than usurping it.
    — William Jones, USA Today, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of usurp
Verb
  • When referee Rick Knox confiscated the belt, Christian loaded up his wrist brace with a wrench.
    — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Citing medical privacy laws, Ryan Gustin, a spokesperson for CoreCivic, declined to answer questions about Bartko’s allegations that her medication was confiscated and withheld from her for nearly two weeks.
    — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of confiscate
Verb
  • Mishka Wilonski had just grabbed pizza from a nearby shop and was walking outside with a friend when the crash happened.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Michael grabbed him, rushed out of the house, and blew through several red lights on the way to the hospital.
    — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • Netanyahu’s hard-line government has been accused of turning a blind eye to the settler attacks in the West Bank, which many governments around the world consider illegally occupied.
    — F. Brinley Bruton, NBC news, 29 Aug. 2026
  • But no one has lived in the house since 2010, when it was occupied by architects Sirkka and Robert Damora for about five decades after the Booths.
    — Nora DeLigter, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of occupy
Verb
  • The brand also claims that this sweeps away plaque rather than just blasting a hole through it, more effectively eradicating the sludgy bacteria.
    — Jenny Bailly, Allure, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Center/guard Corey Bullock, who was beaten out by Andrew Vorhees for the team’s ninth offensive line spot, was claimed by the Carolina Panthers.
    — Jeff Zrebiec, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of claim

Browse Nearby Words

arrogantly
arrogate
arrogated
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Cite this Entry

“Arrogate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrogate. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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