COUP D'ÉTAT Synonyms: 20 Similar and Opposite Words

coup d'état

noun

variants or coup d'etat

Definition of coup d'état

as in coup

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of coup d'état General Muhammadu Buhari, dictator of Nigeria, following a successful coup d'etat against Shehu Shagari. — Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025 Spain The former king of Spain, Juan Carlos, saw an explosion of popularity in the 1980s after helping to foil a coup d'etat attempt. — Justin Klawans, theweek, 27 Feb. 2024 The ceremony came after Nguema seized power in a coup d'etat last week, in the latest usurping of control in African countries. — Justin Klawans, The Week, 4 Sep. 2023 Also in attendance at that event was the junta leader who seized power in Guinea a little over a year after Mali's coup d'etat. — Krista Larson, ajc, 24 Sep. 2022 See All Example Sentences for coup d'état

Recent Examples of Synonyms for coup d'état

Noun

United had finished second to a Leeds side part-inspired by Cantona in 1992, then pulled off a transfer coup for the ages when a chance conversation led to him signing for them at the end of November that year for little over £1million.

— Andy Mitten, New York Times, 31 July 2026
After a coup leaves her family dead, Azaleah becomes a fugitive whose very presence promises disaster, according to the book’s synopsis.

— Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026

Definition of coup

Noun

The two had been in an uneasy alliance ruling the country following the 2019 overthrow of Sudan’s longtime dictator, Omar al-Bashir, who had been in power since 1989.

— Chris Massaro, FOXNews.com, 29 July 2026
Unlike the Labour mainstream, which sought to alleviate inequality through democratic reform, Militant believed in the overthrow of British capitalism, by force if necessary.

— James Kirchick, The Atlantic, 21 July 2026

Definition of overthrow

Noun

The disparities from slavery to Jim Crow continue to haunt Black life and have fueled Black insurrection.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
Commentators such as Canadian journalist and filmmaker Paul Jay, founder and former CEO of The Real News Network, have described the 2021 insurrection as a dry run for future attempts to subvert American democracy.

— James Robenalt, Vanity Fair, 27 July 2026

Definition of insurrection

Noun

Bartholomew Port, an Irish writer living in London, returns to his homeland to participate in a literary festival, and arrives on the eve of a populist uprising.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
Netanyahu still believes that regime change is necessary and hopes to achieve that goal by laying the groundwork for an uprising.

— Margaret Brennan, CBS News, 30 July 2026

Definition of uprising

Browse Nearby Words

coup

coup d'état

coup d'oeil

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“Coup d'état.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coup%20d%27%C3%A9tat. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of coup d'état

noun

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