overthrow

overthrow — verb

IPA/ˌəʊvəˈθrəʊ/
KK[ˈovɚθrˌo]IPA/ˌəʊvərˈθrəʊ/
  • overthrowpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • overthrowshe / she / it
  • overthrewpast simple
  • overthrownpast participle
  • overthrowing-ing form

1. to use force to push a ruler, government, or system out of power and replace it.

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to use force to push a ruler, government, or system out of power and replace it.

Example

Rebel soldiers tried to overthrow the king after the harvest failed.

overthrow + ruler

Darius believes that no peaceful protest can overthrow such a violent regime.

Common collocations
  • overthrow the government
  • overthrow the regime
  • violently overthrow
  • plot to overthrow
Synonyms
  • topple

    informal; vivid image of something falling, often used in news headlines

  • depose

    formal; usually about removing one named ruler from office, not the whole system

  • oust

    neutral; can be used for any leader losing their post, including in companies

Antonyms
  • uphold

    to keep a government or system in power

  • restore

    to put a removed ruler or system back into power

Grammar Patterns

overthrow + noun (ruler/government/regime)

Usage Note

Object is almost always a person or system that holds power (a king, government, regime, dictatorship), or by extension a set of rules. Frequently used in the passive when the focus is on the leader who fell.

Common Mistakes

They overthrew the new law last week.
They repealed the new law last week.
you overthrow people or whole systems, not individual laws; use 'repeal' or 'cancel' for a single law.

2. in baseball and similar sports, to send a ball flying past the teammate or base

2.verbtransitiveC1
Definition

in baseball and similar sports, to send a ball flying past the teammate or base that was meant to catch it.

Example

The young pitcher overthrew first base and let two runners score.

overthrow + base

Takeshi overthrew his catcher twice in the opening innings on Saturday.

overthrow + receiving player

Common collocations
  • overthrow the base
  • overthrow the cutoff man
  • overthrow first base
Synonyms
  • miss

    general; lacks the specific image of the ball passing the target

  • sail past

    vivid; emphasizes that the ball flew well beyond the target

Antonyms
  • hit

    to send the ball directly to the intended target

Grammar Patterns

overthrow + noun (base/teammate)

Usage Note

Used mainly in baseball and softball commentary. Distinguish from sense 1: only this sense takes a base, a teammate position, or another fielding target as object; political objects (king, regime) only fit sense 1.

Common Mistakes

The goalkeeper overthrew the ball into the net.
The goalkeeper threw the ball over the line into the net.
'overthrow' is for baseball-style throwing past a target, not for soccer or general throwing.

overthrow — noun

IPA/ˈəʊ.və.θrəʊ/
KK[ˈovɚθrˌo]IPA/ˈoʊ.vɚ.θroʊ/

Word family

  • overthrower
    nounC2
  • throw
    verbA1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four verbs describe pushing someone out of a position of power, but they differ in scope and tone. 'Overthrow' is the strongest and broadest: it usually means removing a whole government, regime, or system by force, often through revolution or military action. 'Topple' is more vivid and journalistic, painting the picture of a leader or government falling; it is common in news headlines and is slightly less formal. 'Depose' is formal and narrowly focused on removing one named ruler — typically a monarch or president — from office, often through legal or court processes rather than violence. 'Oust' is the most neutral and flexible: it can describe pushing anyone out of any post, from a national leader to a company chief executive. So you would say generals overthrew the regime, protesters toppled the prime minister, parliament deposed the king, and the board ousted the chief executive.

overthrow ↗topple ↗depose ↗oust ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • plot to overthrow
  • attempt to overthrow
  • violent overthrow

Prepositions

  • overthrow of (the government)
  • overthrow by (the army)

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed in Middle English by joining 'over' (meaning 'across' or 'beyond') with the verb 'throw'. The earliest meanings were quite physical — to throw something past a target, or to throw something down so that it falls over. From the idea of knocking something down came the political meaning of toppling a ruler or government, which is the most common modern use. The baseball and cricket senses are later specialised revivals of the original physical 'throw past' meaning.