overthrow 1 of 2

noun

Definition of overthrownext
as in defeat
failure to win a contest the surprising overthrow of the world's top-ranked chess player

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

overthrow

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to topple

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overwhelm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb overthrow differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of overthrow are conquer, defeat, overcome, reduce, subdue, and vanquish. While all these words mean "to get the better of by force or strategy," overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

When might conquer be a better fit than overthrow?

While in some cases nearly identical to overthrow, conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

How are the words defeat and vanquish related as synonyms of overthrow?

Defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals.

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

Where would overcome be a reasonable alternative to overthrow?

The meanings of overcome and overthrow largely overlap; however, overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

When is it sensible to use reduce instead of overthrow?

Although the words reduce and overthrow have much in common, reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

When can subdue be used instead of overthrow?

The synonyms subdue and overthrow are sometimes interchangeable, but subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

When is vanquish a more appropriate choice than overthrow?

The words vanquish and overthrow are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

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 overthrow
Verb
Against all manner of objections, a rape and torture survivor returns to a fascist country in the hopes of finding her daughter and overthrowing a theocratic government. —Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 6 May 2025 April 30, 2025 At the entrance of the Oval Office, where the president and his visitors can see it every day, hangs the mug shot taken of a glowering Donald J. Trump after being arrested and charged with racketeering to overthrow an election. —Peter Baker, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025 And somebody will try to overthrow Xi Jinping for being too soft. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 May 2025 The value of the currency has plummeted: from 50 Syrian pounds to the U.S. dollar before the war, to about 15,000 when the Assad regime was overthrown. —Raja Abdulrahim, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for overthrow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overthrow
  1. defeat
  2. topple
  3. overwhelm
  4. beating
  5. overturn
  6. overrun
  7. loss
  8. invert
Noun
  • Another way in which partisanship has brought us to this incipient defeat of the constitutional order is that the Congress has been rendered all but incompetent by faction.
    — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 30 May 2025
  • Perhaps the most revealing setback came in the 3-2 Copa del Rey final defeat by Barca.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 30 May 2025
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • The region went dark late Saturday morning, after a high-voltage line in the region toppled over, RTE said on X.
    — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 24 May 2025
  • The safe barrier protecting dozens of butterflies at a Missouri zoo was breached as winds toppled trees and tornadoes ripped through the state.
    — Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025
Definition of topple
Verb
  • The ‘Willy Wonka’ phase A sweet, sugary smell overwhelms the next pod at Goodblend. Gummies in hues of orange, red, yellow, green and blue sit on parchment paper a metal tray.
    — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 May 2025
  • Cruel and unaccountable events pile up, overwhelming any sense of normality.
    — David Denby, New Yorker, 23 May 2025
Definition of overwhelm
Noun
  • Two days after the beating, Ventura had to walk the red carpet for the premiere of her movie, The Perfect Match.
    — Danielle Bacher, People.com, 20 May 2025
  • Richard said that the beatings continued in the car on the way home after the dinner.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 19 May 2025
Definition of beating
Verb
  • Foreign universities want to hire them May 25, 2025 The suit also seeks to overturn the Trump administration’s 15% cap on indirect costs related to research, which universities say are critical to carrying out their work.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
  • The suit, which hopes to overturn the law, argues that the city’s ordinance violates the First Amendment and does not apply to other forms of speech, like a political candidate asking for support or a church member proselytizing.
    — Vivienne Serret, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
Definition of overturn
Verb
  • Tigers, elephants, lions and monkeys were evacuated this week from a wildlife refuge in Culiacán, Sinaloa, a city overrun by cartel gunmen.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 22 May 2025
  • Mint may also overrun your zinnias if allowed to spread in the garden.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 22 May 2025
Definition of overrun
Noun
  • How would the loss of federal funds impact Harvard?
    — Solcyré Burga, Time, 27 May 2025
  • Trump won the 2016 and 2024 U.S. presidential elections in part by appealing to working class voters hurt by the loss of U.S. manufacturing jobs over many years.
    — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 27 May 2025
Definition of loss
Verb
  • Contrasting this was a black button-down underneath his jacket, essentially inverting the classic suit color scheme.
    — Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 19 May 2025
  • When the yield curve inverted two years ago, earnings tanked, the stock crashed and Lewis got in.
    — William Baldwin, Forbes.com, 17 May 2025
Definition of invert

Browse Nearby Words

overthrew
overthrow
overthrowing
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Cite this Entry

“Overthrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overthrow. Accessed 2 Jun. 2025.

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