co-opt

verb

kō-ˈäpt 

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

kō-ˈäp-tə-tiv 

adjective

co-option

kō-ˈäp-shən 

noun

co-optive

kō-ˈäp-tiv 

adjective

Synonyms

• absorb
• assimilate
• embody
• incorporate
• integrate

Examples of co-opt in a Sentence

the national organization co-opted many formerly independent local groups

Recent Examples on the Web

His purpose has been co-opted by other, more bloodthirsty men. —Proma Khosla, IndieWire, 17 Sep. 2024

The list of pop songs and rebellious music stars that Donald Trump’s campaigns have tried to co-opt is almost comically long. —Penny Abeywardena, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024

Ferg’s advice felt urgent in a world of commodified visibility, where trends are born and co-opted almost simultaneously. —Essence, 10 Sep. 2024

Rap fans are now left to consider what’s worse between Drake co-opting music scenes for his pockets or Lamar playing into the PR apparatus for a country (and corporation) that subsists on racial inequality and exploits countries for resources all over the world. —Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin cooptare, from co- + optare to choose

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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