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

Democrats must hold their seats and flip at least four others to topple the Republican's 53-47 seat majority in the upper chamber of Congress. — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

The storm brought straight-line winds clocked at 99 mph that tore out trees, toppled utility poles and lines, and damaged homes, as well as torrential rain. — Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 20 Aug. 2026

Kody Clemens and Brooks Lee followed Bell’s knock with base hits of their own and the Twins toppled the Atlanta Braves 6-4 to complete a stunning sweep. — Dan Hayes, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026

The vehicle even remained intact after toppling over, a feat none of its predecessors had pulled off. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 20 Aug. 2026

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