co-opted; co-opting; co-opts
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
A. C. Danto
b
: take over, appropriate
a style co-opted by advertisers
Examples of co-opt in a Sentence
the national organization co-opted many formerly independent local groups
Recent Examples on the Web
For certain species that feed on toxic fare like plants and insects, not only do the poisonous meals do these creatures no harm, but the consumers actually co-opt the toxins.
—Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 June 2024
Given the degree to which the state has co-opted the movement – albeit with lavish support, praise, and rewards – there seems little danger of volunteer energies veering into officially unwelcome political directions.
—Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2024
Today’s China seeks not to marginalize competing groups and belief systems, the way Beijing did during the Mao era, but to co-opt them.
—Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024
The mass media has been mostly co-opted by the ruling BJP to advance its agenda.
—Sumit Ganguly, The Conversation, 4 June 2024
Look for support from people who are already on your wavelength rather than trying to co-opt unenthusiastic outsiders.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2024
Perhaps like the mistake made when an institution co-opts a Black woman’s cells without her knowledge to create an entire field of medical research that helps propel it to greatness?
—Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 20 Mar. 2024
Within a day, the Trump campaign had moved to co-opt the term as its own – and apply it to his immigration proposals in ads and stump speeches.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 19 May 2024
Decades later, the director claimed the film was not explicitly anti-war because of its celebratory images of violence, which had been co-opted by the pro-war crowd.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2024
Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 June 2024
Given the degree to which the state has co-opted the movement – albeit with lavish support, praise, and rewards – there seems little danger of volunteer energies veering into officially unwelcome political directions.
—Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 June 2024
Today’s China seeks not to marginalize competing groups and belief systems, the way Beijing did during the Mao era, but to co-opt them.
—Foreign Affairs, 10 June 2024
The mass media has been mostly co-opted by the ruling BJP to advance its agenda.
—Sumit Ganguly, The Conversation, 4 June 2024
Look for support from people who are already on your wavelength rather than trying to co-opt unenthusiastic outsiders.
—Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 22 May 2024
Perhaps like the mistake made when an institution co-opts a Black woman’s cells without her knowledge to create an entire field of medical research that helps propel it to greatness?
—Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 20 Mar. 2024
Within a day, the Trump campaign had moved to co-opt the term as its own – and apply it to his immigration proposals in ads and stump speeches.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 19 May 2024
Decades later, the director claimed the film was not explicitly anti-war because of its celebratory images of violence, which had been co-opted by the pro-war crowd.
—Erik Morse, Vogue, 24 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'co-opt.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near co-opt
Cite this Entry
“Co-opt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/co-opt. Accessed 18 Jun. 2024.
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