overthrow 1 of 2

overthrow

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verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb overthrow differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of overthrow are conquer, defeat, overcome, reduce, subdue, and vanquish. While all these words mean "to get the better of by force or strategy," overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

When might conquer be a better fit than overthrow?

While in some cases nearly identical to overthrow, conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

How are the words defeat and vanquish related as synonyms of overthrow?

Defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals.

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

Where would overcome be a reasonable alternative to overthrow?

The meanings of overcome and overthrow largely overlap; however, overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

When is it sensible to use reduce instead of overthrow?

Although the words reduce and overthrow have much in common, reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

When can subdue be used instead of overthrow?

The synonyms subdue and overthrow are sometimes interchangeable, but subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

When is vanquish a more appropriate choice than overthrow?

The words vanquish and overthrow are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

Example Sentences

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 overthrow
Noun
Roman Anthony drove in a run with a single, then advanced to second base when Jung Hoo Lee overthrew the cutoff man. Justice Delos Santos, Mercury News, 21 June 2025 Ayatollah Ali Khamenei − rising through the ranks Khamenei was a close ally of Iran's first supreme leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the figure who led the country's 1979 revolution that overthrew Pahlavi and founded Iran's Islamic Republic. Kim Hjelmgaard, USA Today, 19 June 2025 The royal house was overthrown during the German Revolution that followed World War I, however, two branches still remain in the aristocracy. Meredith Kile, People.com, 30 June 2025 Maryam Rajavi: Within Iran, all those committed to overthrowing this regime stand united. Beth Bailey, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for overthrow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overthrow
Noun
  • Sunday’s defeat capped a roller-coaster first half in which the Yankees jumped out to a 42-25 record, only to follow with a 6-16 skid that included two separate six-game losing streaks.
    Peter Sblendorio, Hartford Courant, 13 July 2025
  • And moments of a 3-2 defeat to the Sounders showed the gap between where KC is at compared to the true competitors in the league.
    Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • Planting them in groups or among other plants helps keep them upright, but tall varieties often topple over onto their neighbors as the season progresses.
    Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2025
  • The Islamic Republic grew even weaker in December, when rebels toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, another faithful Iranian ally.
    MOHAMMAD AYATOLLAHI TABAAR, Foreign Affairs, 8 July 2025
Verb
  • Still, on a partly sunny Saturday under a flood watch, dozens of volunteers overwhelmed a site near the Round Mountain Baptist Church outside of Leander, forcing traffic to a standstill as emergency personnel actively searched for missing people.
    Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 13 July 2025
  • Inside, a black and grey cat thrashes around, overwhelmed.
    Kat Lonsdorf, NPR, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • Yet no lawyer had previously brought up the rapes and beatings that Bell witnessed during his stay at Dozier, Brown and Martin said.
    The Marshall Project, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
  • In Chicago, the closest parallel to the racial attacks in 1980s New York was the 1997 Bridgeport attack on Lenard Clark, a Black 13-year-old, by a group of teenagers including Frank Caruso Jr., who was convicted of the beating but ultimately forced to serve only two years of an eight-year sentence.
    Robert Chiarito, Chicago Tribune, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Six appealed their disqualifications but none of the disqualifications were overturned, the NYPD said in court papers.
    Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 15 July 2025
  • The Department of Justice (DOJ) has called on the Supreme Court to reject an appeal by Ghislaine Maxwell to overturn her conviction.
    Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • With Venice locals protesting the lavish event being hosted in a city overrun with tourism while steadily depopulating, city authorities are defending the wedding, estimated to cost $23 million-$34 million according to regional governor Luca Zaia.
    Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
  • Soon, matches of Black Ops 6 and Warzone will be overrun with the foul-mouthed pair.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • The scale is staggering: one UN estimate pegs global losses from these schemes at $37 billion.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 14 July 2025
  • The leak caused the loss of nearly 30,000 gallons of water daily.
    arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • In Colbert’s, this successful formula was inverted.
    Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 21 July 2025
  • This cartilaginous species showed no signs of TLR when inverted, which opens up new questions about whether this trait existed in their common ancestor, was lost in chimaeras, or perhaps never evolved in this group at all.
    Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Overthrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overthrow. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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