co-opted; co-opting; co-opts

transitive verb

1
a
: to choose or elect as a member
members co-opted to the committee
b
: to appoint as a colleague or assistant
2
a
: to take into a group (such as a faction, movement, or culture) : absorb, assimilate
The students are co-opted by a system they serve even in their struggle against it.A. C. Danto
b
: take over, appropriate
a style co-opted by advertisers
co-optative adjective
co-option noun
co-optive adjective

Examples of co-opt in a Sentence

the national organization co-opted many formerly independent local groups
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Meli's critique extends to modern feminism, too, which some of her subscribers commented had been co-opted by capitalist ideals that pressure women to work constantly. Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025 The rules were put in place to keep high-performance AI chips from Nvidia and others out of the hands of the Chinese government, which Washington fears could co-opt the technology for military use and threaten U.S. national security. Matthew J. Belvedere, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025 Moreover, the detailed preservation of feathers provided insight into their original function—likely aiding thermoregulation or display before being co-opted for flight. Scott Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2025 This new cadre of female body horror directors is co-opting the style of the filmmakers who came before but for a different purpose. Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for co-opt

Word History

Etymology

Latin cooptare, from co- + optare to choose

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of co-opt was in 1651

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Co-opt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/co-opt. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

co-opt

verb
kō-ˈäpt
co-opted; co-opting
1
: to take into a group (as a faction, movement, or culture) : assimilate
2
: take over, appropriate sense 1
a style co-opted by advertisers

More from Merriam-Webster on co-opt

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!