Synonyms of overthrow

overthrow 1 of 2

noun

as in defeat

failure to win a contest

the surprising overthrow of the world's top-ranked chess player

Synonyms & Similar Words

• defeat
• beating
• loss
• setback
• whipping
• rout
• trimming
• failure
• plastering
• licking
• collapse
• drubbing
• trouncing
• upset
• shellacking
• lump
• flop
• fiasco
• shutout
• debacle
• débâcle
• washout
• nonsuccess
• lurch
• fizzle
• whitewash

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• victory
• success
• triumph
• win
• achievement
• accomplishment
• sweep
• runaway
• landslide
• blowout
• romp
• cakewalk
• walkover
• walkaway

overthrow

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to topple

Synonyms & Similar Words

• topple
• overturn
• invert
• upend
• overset
• capsize
• upset
• tump (over)
• turn over
• pitchpole
• tilt
• heel
• lean
• keel
• tip
• collapse
• list
• careen
• founder
• fall
• give

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• right
• stand up
• raise
• erect
• straighten (up)

2

as in to overwhelm

Synonyms & Similar Words

• overwhelm
• overrun
• overpower
• demolish
• crush
• raze
• eradicate
• decimate
• extirpate
• obliterate
• wipe out
• annihilate
• mow
• expunge
• vaporize
• destroy
• plunder
• extinguish
• desolate
• sack
• wreck
• smash
• despoil
• shatter
• pillage
• waste
• total
• loot
• ruin
• nuke
• strip
• harry
• ravage
• rub out
• wrack
• scourge
• maraud
• foray
• devastate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• restore
• recover
• rehabilitate
• redeem
• repair
• fix
• recondition
• patch
• mend
• revamp

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb overthrow differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of overthrow are conquer, defeat, overcome, reduce, subdue, and vanquish. While all these words mean "to get the better of by force or strategy," overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

When might conquer be a better fit than overthrow?

While in some cases nearly identical to overthrow, conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

How are the words defeat and vanquish related as synonyms of overthrow?

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

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

Where would overcome be a reasonable alternative to overthrow?

The meanings of overcome and overthrow largely overlap; however, overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

When is it sensible to use reduce instead of overthrow?

Although the words reduce and overthrow have much in common, reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

When can subdue be used instead of overthrow?

The synonyms subdue and overthrow are sometimes interchangeable, but subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

When is vanquish a more appropriate choice than overthrow?

The words vanquish and overthrow are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of overthrow

Verb

Five others died and 37 people in total were sentenced to death for their roles in the attempt to overthrow the government. —Joseph Wilkinson, New York Daily News, 9 Apr. 2025

Iranian officials have long warned that a similar deal would be intended to weaken Iran and eventually overthrow its regime. —Nadeen Ebrahim, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025

The Southeast Asian country is reeling from a raging civil war between a military junta that seized power in 2021, and pro-democracy fighters and ethnic rebel groups battling to overthrow it. —Ross Adkin, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2025

Alaa al-Saadi, like many Syrian men of his generation, once fought to overthrow longtime dictator Bashar al-Assad. —Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 27 Mar. 2025