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Definition of topple

topple

/ˈtɑː.pəl/
top · ple
Past Simple:toppled
•
Past Participle:toppled
•
Present Participle:toppling
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topple Lexical Profile

topple Game Scores & Validity

• verb

1

To overbalance or become unsteady and fall down; to cause something tall or unstable to fall over.

Example

"The stack of heavy textbooks began to wobble and nearly toppled onto the floor."

2

To remove a leader, government, or dominant organization from power; to overthrow.

Example

"Widespread economic reforms and public protests eventually toppled the long-standing administration."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for topple

• Nearby Words

topography
topper
topping
topple
tops
topscore
topside

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the mid-16th century from the verb 'top' (meaning to overbalance) combined with the frequentative suffix '-le', literally meaning to fall top-first.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Topple. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/topple
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