arrogate

verb

ar·​ro·​gate ˈer-ə-ˌgāt 

ˈa-rə-

arrogated; arrogating

transitive verb

1

a

: to claim or seize without justification

b

: to make undue claims to having : assume

2

: to claim on behalf of another : ascribe

arrogation

ˌer-ə-ˈgā-shən 

ˌa-rə-

noun

Did you know?

The resemblance between arrogate and arrogant is more than coincidence: they both have the Latin verb arrogare, meaning “to appropriate to one's self,” at their root. This idea of claiming or seizing something as one’s right is immediately apparent in the English word arrogate: the word is used primarily to talk about taking or claiming a right or a privilege in a way that is not fair or legal. In arrogant the idea of appropriation is slightly veiled: by showing an offensive attitude of superiority, an arrogant person claims—that is, arrogates—more consideration than they are due.

Synonyms

• appropriate
• commandeer
• convert
• expropriate
• pirate
• preempt
• press
• seize
• take over
• usurp

Examples of arrogate in a Sentence

They've arrogated to themselves the power to change the rules arbitrarily.

She arrogated the leadership role to herself.

Recent Examples on the Web

Back before the federal government arrogated to itself an outsize role as financier of college education, the Wayne States of the world were where ambitious people who didn’t have a lot of money, who wanted to save money on college, or both, got their degrees. —John Tamny, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2024

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

The Bibi Files uses a mix of talking-head history and in-the-room vérité to paint its picture of a leader who has arrogated power for corrupt and self-interested reasons — the allegations are of some $250,000 in gifts received in exchange for political favors — to his country’s detriment. —Steven Zeitchik, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

Instead of deferring to the people’s representatives, as the Founders intended, today originalists on the Supreme Court have arrogated power to themselves. —Saul Cornell / Made By History, TIME, 26 July 2024

The crescendo to this assault on expertise landed in June, when the majority’s Chevron decision arrogated to the courts regulatory calls that have been made by civil servant scientists, physicians and lawyers for the last 40 years. —The Editors, Scientific American, 10 July 2024

The institution of the caliphate, now arrogated to themselves by the Umayyads, was thus transformed into arbitrary hereditary rule. —Mohammed Ayoob, Foreign Affairs, 3 Apr. 2016

So why is his agency now arrogating to itself vast new regulatory power? —The Editorial Board, WSJ, 11 Oct. 2023

And likewise, far from creating a decentralized, democratized currency and economy, the crypto world arrogated much of its wealth and influence to just a few firms and figures. —Jacob Bacharach, The New Republic, 18 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin arrogātus, past participle of arrogāre "to appoint along with (another magistrate), lay claim to, claim to possess, make undue claims, be conceited," from ar-, assimilated form of ad- ad- + rogāre "to ask, request" — more at rogation

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

arrogate

verb

ar·​ro·​gate ˈar-ə-ˌgāt 

arrogated; arrogating

1

: to take or claim for one's own without right

2

: to attribute to another especially without good reason

arrogation

ˌar-ə-ˈgā-shən 

noun