topple

verb top·ple \ ˈtä-pəl \

Updated on: 18 May 2018

Definition of topple

toppled; toppling play \ˈtä-p(ə-)liŋ\

intransitive verb

: to fall from or as if from being top-heavy

transitive verb

1 : to cause to topple

2 a : overthrow 2

topple a dictator

b : defeat 3

See topple defined for English-language learners

See topple defined for kids

Examples of topple in a Sentence

The strong winds toppled many trees.
The earthquake toppled the buildings.
The tree toppled into the river.
The rebels tried to topple the dictator.
The phone company has toppled its local competition.

Recent Examples of topple from the Web

One of the large spires that had been engulfed in flames toppled about 4:10 p.m., minutes before the wooden roof collapsed as water poured in.

— annysa johnson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Fire engulfs historic Milwaukee church, sending black smoke billowing over downtown," 15 May 2018
Since Bitcoin debuted nearly a decade ago, trailblazing women have stormed the cryptocurrency world with visions of redefining finance, thwarting poverty, and toppling the patriarchal power structure.

— liz brody, Glamour, "How Cryptocurrency May Be Harmful to Women—on the Dark Web and Beyond," 7 May 2018
Each bony ravine is draped in fig trees and vines and orchids that topple over rocks into bowls of moon-white sand.

— sophy roberts, Condé Nast Traveler, "Navigating Tradition and Tourism in Papua New Guinea," 3 May 2018
The Holy Ascension Restoration Committee was founded in 1991 to fix the deteriorating roofs of the church's cupolas, which were in danger of toppling at the time.

— author: jim paulin, Anchorage Daily News, "To help fund fire protection for iconic Unalaska church, congregation considers starting AirBnB on church grounds," 30 Apr. 2018
The whole thing toppled the conservative government of Harold MacMillan, and even ensnared Prince Philip in the process (see: Season 2 of The Crown).

— elise taylor, Vogue, "Exploring Cliveden House, the Royal Estate Where Queen Victoria Spent Her Weekends (and You Can Too)," 27 Apr. 2018
Of those three, one sank in January 2018, while another toppled into the sea while being transported and the third must be supported by sandbags to keep it upright, according to local news reports.

— lyndsey matthews, Town & Country, "An Underwater Villa Is Coming to the Maldives Later This Year," 18 Apr. 2018
As McGarry set down the plate, some of the roe toppled off.

— rachel aviv, The New Yorker, "A Nineteen-Year-Old Chef Masters the Rules of Fine Dining," 12 Apr. 2018
The 4-minute mark seemed like a brick wall that would never be toppled.

— michael democker, NOLA.com, "40th running of the Crescent City Classic: photo gallery," 31 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of topple

frequentative of ³top

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1590

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

See Words from the same year

topple Synonyms

Synonyms

fall, slip, stumble, trip, tumble;

Antonyms

get up, rise, stand (up), uprise;

crash, free-fall, nose-dive, plummet, plunge, precipitate, wipe out;

skid, slide;

TOPPLE Defined for English Language Learners

topple

verb

Definition of topple for English Language Learners

: to cause (something) to become unsteady and fall
: to remove (a government or a leader) from power
: to win a victory over (someone or something) in a war, contest, etc.

TOPPLE Defined for Kids

topple

verb top·ple \ ˈtä-pəl \

Definition of topple for Students

toppled; toppling

: to fall or cause to fall from an upright position When he pulled a book out, several others toppled to the floor.

Learn More about topple

See words that rhyme with topple Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for topple Spanish Central: Translation of topple Nglish: Translation of topple for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of topple for Arabic speakers

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topple

Definition of topple

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Recent Examples of topple from the Web

Origin and Etymology of topple

topple Synonyms

Synonyms

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TOPPLE Defined for English Language Learners

topple

Definition of topple for English Language Learners

TOPPLE Defined for Kids

topple

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