topple

verb

top·​ple ˈtä-pəl How to pronounce topple (audio)
toppled; toppling ˈtä-p(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce topple (audio)

intransitive verb

: to fall from or as if from being top-heavy

transitive verb

1
: to cause to topple
2
a
: overthrow sense 2
topple a dictator

Examples of topple in a Sentence

The strong winds toppled many trees. The earthquake toppled the buildings. The tree toppled into the river. The rebels tried to topple the dictator. The phone company has toppled its local competition.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Shiffrin hit the snow, smashed into the gate, toppled over her skis and slid into the protective fence. Pat Graham, The Denver Post, 23 Jan. 2025 One year after the ice storm that devastated much of the Portland area, toppling hundreds of trees and knocking out power to thousands, some Lake Oswego residents are still working on cleanup and preparing for more extreme weather. Axios Portland, Axios, 17 Jan. 2025 One of the group’s options to topple the dollar was to create a unified BRICS currency — a proposal spearheaded by Brazil, which has yet to gain traction. Abby Ryanto, CNBC, 17 Jan. 2025 Iran’s ally in Syria, Bashar al-Assad, has been toppled. Ned Temko, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for topple 

Word History

Etymology

frequentative of top entry 3

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of topple was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near topple

Cite this Entry

“Topple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topple. Accessed 2 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

topple

verb
top·​ple ˈtäp-əl How to pronounce topple (audio)
toppled; toppling -(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce topple (audio)
1
: to fall over from being too heavy at the top
2
: to push over

More from Merriam-Webster on topple

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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