overthrow

B2 Topic:Law & Government

US /ˌoʊvɚˈθɹoʊ/ UK /əʊvəˈθɹəʊ/ See IPA manual

verb noun Freq #13810

Meanings

1

verb
To remove a government or leader from power, especially by force.

The rebels tried to overthrow the dictator.
2

noun
The removal of a ruler or government, especially by force.

The overthrow of the king led to years of unrest.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to remove a government or... oust overturn subvert

Word family

Forms overthrewoverthroweroverthrowingoverthrownoverthrows

Derived forms overthrowableoverthrowaloverthrower

Common collocations

overthrow a government Verb + noun

Etymology

From Middle English overthrowen, equivalent to over- + throw. Compare Dutch overdraaien, German überdrehen, Old English oferweorpan (“to overthrow”). For the noun sense, compare Middle English overthrow, overthrowe (“destruction, downfall”), from the verb.

overthrowen Middle English overthrow Middle English

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Topics

Law & Government

# overthrow

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** ˌoʊvɚˈθɹoʊ
**IPA (UK):** əʊvəˈθɹəʊ
**Frequency rank:** 13810

## Meanings
1. To remove a government or leader from power, especially by force.
2. The removal of a ruler or government, especially by force.

## Examples
- The rebels tried to overthrow the dictator.
- The overthrow of the king led to years of unrest.

## Derived Forms
- overthrowable
- overthrowal
- overthrower

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: overthrowen
- Root: overthrow

## Etymology
From Middle English overthrowen, equivalent to over- + throw. Compare Dutch overdraaien, German überdrehen, Old English oferweorpan (“to overthrow”). For the noun sense, compare Middle English overthrow, overthrowe (“destruction, downfall”), from the verb.

## AI Etymology
Overthrow comes from Middle English overthrowen, equivalent to over- + throw. Compare Dutch overdraaien, German überdrehen, Old English oferweorpan (“to overthrow”). For the noun sense, compare Middle English overthrow, overthrowe (“destruction, downfall”), from the verb. The historical chain includes Middle English overthrowen and Middle English overthrow. Modern senses include to remove a government or leader from power, especially by force and the removal of a ruler or government, especially by force. The wider word family includes derivatives such as overthrowable, overthrowal, and overthrower.

## Topics
- Law & Government

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overthrow

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