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

Wesleyan commit Taylor Watts and junior midfielder Emma Whoriskey paced the charge, finishing with four goals apiece as Notre Dame toppled previously undefeated Walpole in a thrilling 12-10 battle. —Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 9 May 2026

But just two years after the museum opened, the shah was toppled and theocratic rule by Shiite clerics was installed. —ABC News, 8 May 2026

Tornadoes that rolled through parts of Mississippi the night of May 6 injured at least 17 people, damaged hundreds of homes and toppled trees over roadways, officials said. —Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 7 May 2026

Dash camera video from inside the truck shows the moment of impact and appears to show the truck toppling onto its side. —Josh Funk, Fortune, 4 May 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