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
And so, in many ways, Maduro doesn’t enjoy the economic instruments that Chávez had at his disposal to co-opt people.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
The event was co-opted as a starring vehicle for the president with acolytes as co-stars.
—Christine Ledbetter, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Liberation is funny, poignant and, yes, liberating in its expression of the very human need for justice and freedom in an era when those words have been co-opted by forces who value only self-enrichment.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 31 Dec. 2025
Assad’s government was dominated by Alawites and systematically privileged and co-opted both its own group and certain other minority communities, including, at times, the Druze (although no group was, or is, monolithic in its allegiances).
—Salma Al-Shami, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for co-opt
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 5 Jan. 2026
The event was co-opted as a starring vehicle for the president with acolytes as co-stars.
—Christine Ledbetter, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2026
Liberation is funny, poignant and, yes, liberating in its expression of the very human need for justice and freedom in an era when those words have been co-opted by forces who value only self-enrichment.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 31 Dec. 2025
Assad’s government was dominated by Alawites and systematically privileged and co-opted both its own group and certain other minority communities, including, at times, the Druze (although no group was, or is, monolithic in its allegiances).
—Salma Al-Shami, Foreign Affairs, 5 Dec. 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 8 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share