topple

verb

top·​ple ˈtä-pəl 

toppled; toppling 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 sense 2

topple a dictator

b

: defeat sense 1

Synonyms of topple

• fall
• stumble
• trip
• slip
• tumble

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 on the Web

The lack of sufficient post-conflict planning—about what would happen after Gaddafi’s regime was toppled—curbed enthusiasm for future collective security efforts in Syria and elsewhere. —Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2025

The Dodgers got to rejoice again once Saturday night turned to Sunday morning, toppling the Toronto Blue Jays in a Game 7 classic to become baseball’s first repeat champions in a quarter century. —Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025

High winds can topple trees which can be deadly. —Ca Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 3 Nov. 2025

The effort is widely seen as an attempt to topple Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, for whom the Department of Justice has offered a $50 million reward. —Claire Heddles, Miami Herald, 31 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

frequentative of top entry 3

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for topple

• estoppel
• popple

Kids Definition

topple

verb

top·​ple ˈtäp-əl 

toppled; toppling -(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to fall over from being too heavy at the top

2

: to push over