overthrow

verb

over·​throw ˌō-vər-ˈthrō 

overthrew ˌō-vər-ˈthrü  ; overthrown ˌō-vər-ˈthrōn  ; overthrowing

transitive verb

1

: overturn, upset

a storm overthrowing trees

2

: to cause the downfall of : bring down, defeat

overthrow a tyrant

3

: to throw a ball over or past (something or someone, such as a base or a receiver)

overthrow

ˈō-vər-ˌthrō 

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for overthrow

conquer, vanquish, defeat, subdue, reduce, overcome, overthrow mean to get the better of by force or strategy.

conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals.

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

Examples of overthrow in a Sentence

The quarterback overthrew his receiver.

Recent Examples on the Web

Sihanouk was overthrown and his immediate successors did not join, as Cambodia subsequently endured civil war and the brutal rule of the communist Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979. — ABC News, 13 Nov. 2026

Advertisement As one of us wrote in The Hero’s Farewell, the greatest leaders depart as ambassadors, leaving behind institutions stronger than themselves, while monarchs cling to the throne until they are overthrown or die in office. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 11 Nov. 2026

Espionage of all kinds, from small acts to large gains, from grassroots to leadership circles, was vital to overthrowing the ruling Nationalists and seizing power in a revolution in 1949. — Didi Kirsten Tatlow, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2026

Yemen Arab Republic, former country in northwestern Yemen from 1962, when the Zaydī Shiʿi Mutawakkilite imamate was overthrown, to 1990, when the republic joined with South Yemen to form a united Yemen. — Manfred W. Wenner, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for overthrow

• afterglow
• akimbo
• albino
• aliquot
• allegro
• amigo
• apropos
• audio
• bungalow
• calico
• calypso
• cameo

Kids Definition

overthrow

verb

over·​throw -ˈthrō 

overthrew -ˈthrü  ; overthrown -ˈthrōn  ; overthrowing

1

: overturn sense 1, upset

lawn chairs overthrown by the gale

2

: defeat entry 1, destroy

a government overthrown by rebels

3

: to throw a ball over or past

overthrew second base

overthrow

ˈō-vər-ˌthrō 

noun