overthrow 1 of 2

overthrow

2 of 2

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
Oil prices, for example, spiked dramatically in the wake of the 1979 Iranian revolution that overthrew Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and brought the Islamic Republic under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini to power. Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 18 June 2025 Since November 2021, with troops, munitions, weapons, and diplomatic support from the Rwandan army, the M23—an armed group led by Congolese Tutsi that aims to overthrow the government—has expanded its control over rural areas and two major cities along the Rwandan border. Joshua Z. Walker, Foreign Affairs, 17 June 2025 In the novel, Wukong picks fights with all the gods in an attempt to overthrow the cosmic order, only to eventually be violently put in his place by the highest gods of the Chinese pantheon. Michael Naparstek, The Conversation, 12 June 2025 An adjustment to the sugar tariff in McKinley’s 1890 bill destabilized Hawaii and led planters and businessmen there to overthrow the Indigenous monarchy. Daniel Immerwahr, New Yorker, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for overthrow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overthrow
Noun
  • Calgary is coming off a defeat, however, having most recently fallen 20-12 to the previously 0-2 Ottawa Redblacks.
    Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025
  • The reigning world champions had inflicted a 7-1 defeat on Portugal in April.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 4 July 2025
Verb
  • In 2011, Barack Obama conducted an 8 month campaign in Libya to topple Gaddafi.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • According to an Israeli official familiar with the government’s strategy, Israel is targeting these sites to put pressure on the Iranian administration but is not actively seeking to topple it.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • This can overwhelm analysts and lead to alert fatigue.
    Bhupendra Singh, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
  • Among other things, a lack of staff hampered the State Emergency Response Team’s ability to maintain a 24-hour operation that was supposed to support local and county officials who were overwhelmed by the massive storm.
    Jennifer Berry Hawes, ProPublica, 27 June 2025
Noun
  • Weger was convicted and sentenced to life in prison for the fatal beating of Lillian Oetting, 50, in March 1960 at the scenic park near Utica.
    Christy Gutowski, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025
  • But the movie’s focus isn’t so much the zeitgeist that yields these public beatings, but rather, the strange and amusing way that a young woman present in the crowd, Maitri (Singh), uses this violence to her advantage in a moment of snap judgement.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 June 2025
Verb
  • But the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision last year.
    Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 1 July 2025
  • The bill, which Gov. Mike Kehoe is expected to sign and would begin Aug. 28, would overturn sick leave provisions included in a ballot measure that Missouri voters approved last year.
    Jim Edwards, Fortune, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Would powerful cities like New York and Chicago overrun states without large industrial centers?
    Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
  • Protestors argue the city is being overrun with tourism while steadily depopulating, and needs public services and housing, not VIPs and over-tourism.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Gauff, by contrast, was 20-3 at that stage, including a loss to Sofia Kenin at Wimbledon in 2023.
    CBS News, CBS News, 1 July 2025
  • Businesses unknowingly employ these fictitious vendors, incurring massive financial losses and data breaches.
    Steve Durbin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • Meanwhile, America's yield curve remains marginally inverted, creating a tale of two continents for banking profitability and economic momentum.
    Robert Daugherty, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
  • The nominal starting formation is a standard 4-3-3 but one of Maresca’s full-backs will usually ‘invert‘, often into the base of midfield and sometimes into one of the attacking half-spaces.
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 9 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Overthrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overthrow. Accessed 10 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on overthrow

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!