verb
overthrow
oh-vuh-THROH
verb
1
To remove a government or leader from power by force.
"The rebels overthrew the dictator after months of fighting."
"The coup attempted to overthrow the elected president."
noun
1
The forced removal of a ruler or government.
"The overthrow of the monarchy came after years of unrest."
How to Use Overthrow
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo bring down a government or leader by force, or the act of doing so.
Common pairings
overthrow a government
violent overthrow
attempt to overthrow
Word Forms
overthrew past tense, overthrown past tense, overthrew past tense, overthrown past tense, overthrows plural, overthrows plural, overthrows singular, overthrows singular
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The coup attempted to _____ the elected president.
Etymology
From Middle English overthrowen, formed from over- + throw.