overthrow 1 of 2

noun

Definition of overthrownext
as in defeat
failure to win a contest the surprising overthrow of the world's top-ranked chess player

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

overthrow

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to topple

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to overwhelm

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Verb
Iraqi writer/director Hasan Hadi finds a most unusual way into the story of Saddam Hussein, who served as president of his country until the U.S. invasion in 2003 overthrew his reign, which was marked by terror and tyranny. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 May 2025 The Rebels and Imperials, within their factions, disagreed over how to achieve their respective aims of overthrowing and protecting the emperor—whether to enact violence, carry out diplomacy, or do something else altogether. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 14 May 2025 This operation was only possible after Assad was overthrown. —Richard Engel, NBC news, 10 May 2025 Party members have also been implicated in a plot to overthrow the state by a group that does not recognize the legitimacy of the modern German Republic. —Christopher F. Schuetze, New York Times, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for overthrow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overthrow
  1. defeat
  2. topple
  3. overwhelm
  4. beating
  5. overturn
  6. overrun
  7. loss
  8. invert
Noun
  • Perhaps the most revealing setback came in the 3-2 Copa del Rey final defeat by Barca.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • Another way in which partisanship has brought us to this incipient defeat of the constitutional order is that the Congress has been rendered all but incompetent by faction.
    — Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 30 May 2025
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • The region went dark late Saturday morning, after a high-voltage line in the region toppled over, RTE said on X.
    — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 24 May 2025
  • The safe barrier protecting dozens of butterflies at a Missouri zoo was breached as winds toppled trees and tornadoes ripped through the state.
    — Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025
Definition of topple
Verb
  • For example, colorful hardware in a small kitchen with a lot of cabinets can overwhelm the space with visual clutter rather than color.
    — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 June 2025
  • Almost immediately, the new facility was overwhelmed: Between the year of its founding and 1887, 44 percent of the women admitted into San Clemente were pellagrous.
    — Asia London Palomba, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 June 2025
Definition of overwhelm
Noun
  • The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has arrested one man and is searching for another after the brutal beating of a 27-year-old off-duty officer during a robbery in the Bronx early Saturday.
    — Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 28 May 2025
  • One such incident was a brutal beating at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016, which was caught on surveillance video and partly released to the public last year.
    — Vivian Kwarm, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
Definition of beating
Verb
  • Foreign universities want to hire them May 25, 2025 The suit also seeks to overturn the Trump administration’s 15% cap on indirect costs related to research, which universities say are critical to carrying out their work.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025
  • The suit, which hopes to overturn the law, argues that the city’s ordinance violates the First Amendment and does not apply to other forms of speech, like a political candidate asking for support or a church member proselytizing.
    — Vivienne Serret, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
Definition of overturn
Verb
  • Creating Breathing Room When your day is overrun with interruptions, preserving pockets of uninterrupted time becomes essential.
    — Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Earlier in the week, thousands of hungry Palestinians overran one of the distribution points, prompting American security contractors to withdraw from the site.
    — Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 30 May 2025
Definition of overrun
Noun
  • How would the loss of federal funds impact Harvard?
    — Solcyré Burga, Time, 27 May 2025
  • The Democratic Party suffered significant blows in 2024 with President Donald Trump's reelection and the narrow loss of both chambers of Congress.
    — Hannah Gaskill, Baltimore Sun, 27 May 2025
Definition of loss
Verb
  • There was something transgressive and liberating about an aesthetic that inverted not only good and bad taste but also conventional and unconventional morality.
    — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
  • Top one of those pieces of buttered bread with a few slices of onion, evenly distributed over the surface, then invert the other buttered bread slice on top.
    — Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 May 2025
Definition of invert

Browse Nearby Words

overthrew
overthrow
overthrowing
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Cite this Entry

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

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Nglish: Translation of overthrow for Spanish Speakers

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