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

• 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

In response, Williams pointed out how major corporations co-opting the live music landscape has led to financial issues for smaller venues. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 16 Oct. 2025

According to Vodou, when a person experiences an unnatural, early death, priests can capture and co-opt their soul. —Tom Duszynski, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2025

In some cases, specific designs from fashion brands have been co-opted by political groups as their uniforms. —Steve Salter, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2025

In Eddington, Joe co-opts the righteous anger of BLM. —Robert Daniels, Time, 10 Oct. 2025

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