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 it, two mob families clash in a war that threatens to topple empires and lives. — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 30 June 2026

Statue toppling riots… and the very real possibility of death. — Rund Abdelfatah, NPR, 2 July 2026

Hurst in ‘93 was among the first inside the church upon the flooding, which lifted the pews off the floor and toppled the statues and rose high enough, more than 9 feet, to fill the pulpit. — Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

James is every ambitious director threatening to topple this town in a narcissistic quest to create the ultimate special effects epic. — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 1 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