overthrow

verb

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over·throw | \ ˌō-vər-ˈthrō

overthrew\ ˌō-vər-ˈthrü

\; overthrown\ ˌō-vər-ˈthrōn

\; overthrowing

Definition of overthrow

transitive verb

1 : overturn, upset

2 : to cause the downfall of : bring down, defeat

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

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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 The Castros successfully overthrow the Batista government. — Cnn Editorial Research, CNN, "Raul Castro Fast Facts," 16 Apr. 2021 The war started in November after Mr. Abiy accused the T.P.L.F. of attacking a major military base in a bid to overthrow his government. — New York Times, "‘They Told Us Not to Resist’: Sexual Violence Pervades Ethiopia’s War," 1 Apr. 2021 Without an amendment provision, the only way to change the rules is to overthrow the government, by way of insurrection. — Jill Lepore, The New Yorker, "When Constitutions Took Over the World," 22 Mar. 2021 The existence of people like Coffman, loner types who amass large collections of weapons and who may become motivated to act on calls to overthrow the government, pose an even greater challenge for law enforcement. — NBC News, "Off the grid, heavily armed and radicalized: He's a law enforcement nightmare," 17 Jan. 2021 The 1776 reference was used to imply that this capitol rally would be the Trump supporters’ moment to overthrow an unjust regime, similarly to when the U.S. became independent from Britain. — Washington Post, "Facebook’s Sandberg deflects blame for Capitol riot even as new evidence shows it played a pivotal role," 13 Jan. 2021 But maybe trying to overthrow your own government while nearly getting Congress killed outranks befouling a Gap dress in the hierarchy of outrages. — Matt Labash, The New Republic, "An Epic Debate on Trump and True Evangelicalism," 5 Apr. 2021 Yet in the end, they were convicted, along with all of the others present at the base that night, of trying to overthrow the constitutional order. — New York Times, "In Turkey’s Failed Coup, Trainees Face the Same Stiff Punishments as Generals," 3 Apr. 2021 In July of 1588, the Spanish armada’s hundred-plus ships and 26,000 men set sail for England, to overthrow the Protestant Queen Elizabeth I and restore Catholic rule. — Renee Diresta, Wired, "How to Stop Misinformation Before It Gets Shared," 26 Mar. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'overthrow.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.