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

To punch a ticket to Saturday’s title game, Southwest Christian toppled district foe and reigning champion Fort Worth All Saints (17-11, 6-4) in three sets. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Nov. 2026

The daily painting effort started almost immediately after the Students’ List movement toppled former President Aleksandar Vucic ’s right-wing Serbian Progressive Party. — ABC News, 6 Nov. 2026

Use the wider edge for housing smaller utensils and glasses, while leaving the shallower end for larger bottles that are less likely to topple over the edge. — Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 6 Nov. 2026

Last Sunday in the NFL’s game of the year, the Broncos toppled the Chiefs, stoning future Hall of Famer Patrick Mahomes at the goal line. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 6 Nov. 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