overthrow

verb

over·​throw ˌō-vər-ˈthrō 

overthrew ˌō-vər-ˈthrü  ; overthrown ˌō-vər-ˈthrōn  ; overthrowing

transitive verb

1

: overturn, upset

2

: to cause the downfall of : bring down, defeat

3

: to throw a ball over or past (something or someone, such as a base or a receiver)

overthrow

ˈō-vər-ˌthrō 

noun

Choose the Right Synonym for overthrow

conquer, vanquish, defeat, subdue, reduce, overcome, overthrow mean to get the better of by force or strategy.

conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

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

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

Examples of overthrow in a Sentence

The quarterback overthrew his receiver.

Recent Examples on the Web

Days before Assad was overthrown, however, Tehran began to withdraw its forces from Syria. —Chad De Guzman, TIME, 11 Dec. 2024

Up 7-3 in the second quarter, Hurts had ample time against a third-and-7, six-man rush but overthrew Johnny Wilson for yet another three-and-out. —Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024

Syrian state television broadcast a rebel statement early Sunday saying Mr. Assad had been overthrown and all prisoners had been released. —Abdulrahman Shaheen and Abby Sewell, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Dec. 2024

Russian political and information operations actively seek to undermine, dominate, or overthrow democratic governments in Moldova, Georgia, and most recently Romania. —Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 8 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

overthrow

verb

over·​throw -ˈthrō 

overthrew -ˈthrü  ; overthrown -ˈthrōn  ; overthrowing

1

: overturn sense 1, upset

lawn chairs overthrown by the gale

2

: defeat entry 1, destroy

a government overthrown by rebels

3

: to throw a ball over or past

overthrew second base

overthrow

ˈō-vər-ˌthrō 

noun