overthrow

verb

over·​throw ˌō-vər-ˈthrō 

overthrew ˌō-vər-ˈthrü  ; overthrown ˌō-vər-ˈthrōn  ; overthrowing

transitive verb

1

: overturn, upset

2

: to cause the downfall of : bring down, defeat

3

: to throw a ball over or past (something or someone, such as a base or a receiver)

overthrow

ˈō-vər-ˌthrō 

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for overthrow

conquer, vanquish, defeat, subdue, reduce, overcome, overthrow mean to get the better of by force or strategy.

conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

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

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

Examples of overthrow in a Sentence

The quarterback overthrew his receiver.

Recent Examples on the Web

Perhaps their punishment will deter others who might similarly endeavor to overthrow a free and fairly conducted election, affronting the country’s values and assaulting our democracy with their deceit. —Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024

Now, Paul is struggling to deal with a conspiracy to overthrow him while hoping to produce an heir. —James Hibberd, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2024

Enslaved people in Haiti overthrew brutal French colonial rule and founded the world’s first free Black republic in 1804, only to be shunned by the international community for decades. —Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 21 Mar. 2024

Marlene Daut, a Yale University professor of French and African diaspora studies, said that American and European powers began spreading baseless tales of cannibalism in Haiti around the time the country’s slaves overthrew French colonizers and declared independence in 1804. —David Ingram, NBC News, 13 Mar. 2024

Gangs in the country have led a series of coordinated attacks in an effort to overthrow Haiti's authorities. —USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024

That would be a change for Portugal, which in April celebrates the 50-year anniversary of a bloodless military insurrection that overthrew the country’s right-wing dictatorship. —Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Mar. 2024

Biden's conduct on our border is, by any definition, a conspiracy to overthrow the United States of America. —CBS News, 3 Mar. 2024

Armed groups have burned down police stations and released thousands of inmates from two prisons, in what one gang leader described as an attempt to overthrow Henry’s government. —Caitlin Stephen Hu, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

overthrow

verb

over·​throw -ˈthrō 

overthrew -ˈthrü  ; overthrown -ˈthrōn  ; overthrowing

1

: overturn sense 1, upset

lawn chairs overthrown by the gale

2

: defeat entry 1, destroy

a government overthrown by rebels

3

: to throw a ball over or past

overthrew second base

overthrow

ˈō-vər-ˌthrō 

noun