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I'm writing about a politician who was expected to get a ministerial position that was instead given to someone else. Sentence goes like

Lloyd Axworthy, a front-bencher who was ____ out of a ministerial position by Andre Ouellette...

What's this verb I'm looking for in the blank spot. I thought maybe "snubbed" but looking at the definition, it doesn't seem to fit. Let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks!

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The phrasal verb elbow out fits the bill nicely.

to force someone or something out of a position or job:

He resigned before he was elbowed out.

[Cambridge]

Therefore you could say

Lloyd Axworthy, a front-bencher who was elbowed out of a ministerial position by Andre Ouellette...

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    Thank you so much! This is great. My one concern is that Lloyd Axworthy never actually had the position. But he was the most likely candidate for the job. Last minute, the Prime Minister surprisingly chose Andre instead. Do you think elbow out will still work?
    – VminVsky
    Commented Apr 18, 2021 at 21:11
  • Maneuvered out also works.
    – Xanne
    Commented Apr 18, 2021 at 21:59
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    Without more information about the circumstances, it is not possible to say. 'Elbow out' is the nearest. However, for that to work, Andre Ouellette would have to have done something to make this happen: put pressure (threat of a revelation or of withdrawal of support or offer he couldn't refuse). If the prime minister had simply made a choice different from that expected, that would not count.
    – Tuffy
    Commented Apr 18, 2021 at 22:34
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    passed over for (drop the out) is another way to say it. Or lost out to.
    – Xanne
    Commented Apr 19, 2021 at 1:32
  • @VminVsky— I think Xanne's suggestion passed over for is pretty good. Maybe, elbow out doesn't quite work here.
    – user405662
    Commented Apr 19, 2021 at 5:40

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