topple

verb

top·​ple ˈtä-pəl 

toppled; toppling ˈtä-p(ə-)liŋ 

intransitive verb

: to fall from or as if from being top-heavy

transitive verb

1

: to cause to topple

2

a

: overthrow sense 2

topple a dictator

b

: defeat sense 1

Synonyms of topple

• fall
• stumble
• trip
• slip
• tumble

Examples of topple in a Sentence

The strong winds toppled many trees.

The earthquake toppled the buildings.

The tree toppled into the river.

The rebels tried to topple the dictator.

The phone company has toppled its local competition.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the coastal city of Yueqing in Zhejiang province, more than 1,300 trees were toppled, including at least 700 uprooted, according to state broadcaster CCTV. — ABC News, 12 July 2026

In the wake of the 2020 George Floyd murder in Minneapolis, protestors toppled a statue of Columbus in Baltimore and dumped it in the Inner Harbor. — Tara Sonenshine, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2026

Messi had produced another vintage performance three weeks earlier, this time at the Nou Camp, where the Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng toppled over like a tree that had been felled. — Charlotte Harpur, New York Times, 10 July 2026

When Assad’s regime was toppled roughly 18 months ago, the development propelled the country’s slow return to the world stage. — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 7 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

frequentative of top entry 3

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for topple

• estoppel
• popple

Kids Definition

topple

verb

top·​ple ˈtäp-əl 

toppled; toppling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to fall over from being too heavy at the top

2

: to push over