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
Western analysts have raised concerns that this activity could eke away at the U.S. military's position in the Pacific, given Beijing's policy of military-civil fusion that enables the People's Liberation Army to co-opt these dual-use facilities.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
While every other cultural movement under the Islamic Republic has been either eliminated or co-opted, rap has never succumbed to such a fate.
—Ali Farahmand, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
The mosaic depicts Tyche, the Greek goddess of luck, who was later co-opted and renamed Fortuna by the Romans.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
For far too long, hearing folks have co-opted and told our stories, and 100% of them are not reflective of our experiences.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for co-opt
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Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
While every other cultural movement under the Islamic Republic has been either eliminated or co-opted, rap has never succumbed to such a fate.
—Ali Farahmand, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
The mosaic depicts Tyche, the Greek goddess of luck, who was later co-opted and renamed Fortuna by the Romans.
—Brendan Rascius, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
For far too long, hearing folks have co-opted and told our stories, and 100% of them are not reflective of our experiences.
—Mathew Rodriguez, Them., 19 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for co-opt
Cite this Entry
“Co-opt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/co-opt. Accessed 14 Jun. 2025.
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