co-opt

verb

kō-ˈäpt 

co-opted; co-opting; co-opts

transitive verb

1

a

: to choose or elect as a member

members co-opted to the committee

b

: to appoint as a colleague or assistant

2

a

: to take into a group (such as a faction, movement, or culture) : absorb, assimilate

The students are co-opted by a system they serve even in their struggle against it.

—A. C. Danto

b

: take over, appropriate

a style co-opted by advertisers

co-optative

kō-ˈäp-tə-tiv 

adjective

co-option

kō-ˈäp-shən 

noun

co-optive

kō-ˈäp-tiv 

adjective

Synonyms of co-opt

• integrate
• incorporate
• assimilate

Examples of co-opt in a Sentence

the national organization co-opted many formerly independent local groups

Recent Examples on the Web

Russian President Vladimir Putin has long been co-opting the Orthodox Church to legitimize his aggression against Ukraine. —Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 3 Apr. 2026

Far from exhibiting a coherent or consistent set of values, carnival has been co-opted by—and used to promote the philosophies of—various movements, from the Protestant Reformation to National Socialism. —Tim Brinkhof, JSTOR Daily, 1 Apr. 2026

But invariably, these calls are co-opted by conservatives to demonize those on the short end of the stick. —Literary Hub, 30 Mar. 2026

But vigilante movements in Mexico historically get co-opted by rival cartels or massacred, creating a dangerous spiral that could worsen after recent cartel leadership deaths. —Megan Janetsky, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin cooptare, from co- + optare to choose

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for co-opt

• adopt
• estopped
• chopped
• cropped
• dropped
• dropt
• flopped
• hopped
• lopped
• mopped
• opt
• plopped

Kids Definition

co-opt

verb

kō-ˈäpt

co-opted; co-opting

1

: to take into a group (as a faction, movement, or culture) : assimilate

2

: take over, appropriate sense 1

a style co-opted by advertisers