v. 1
To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force; to usurp.
I hate the current government, but not enough to want to overthrow them.
v. 2
To throw (something) so that it goes too far.
He overthrew first base, for an error.
n. 1
A removal, especially of a ruler or government, by force or threat of force; usurpation.
n. 2
A throw that goes too far.
He overthrew the ball and it went for four runs.

Related words

Is a kind of: downfall usurpation
Other spellings: o'erthrow

Forms

Plural: overthrows → upsets, derangements, destructions, subversions…
Past participle: overthrown
e.g. overthrown → subverted, overturned, destroyed, toppled…

Choose the right word

Overthrow, Suppress or Subvert?

Overthrow may be used in either a good or a bad sense; suppress is commonly in a good, subvert always in a bad sense; as, to subvert our liberties; to suppress a rebellion.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

destroy Do you really think it will destroy my reputation?
overturn Sami launched a campaign to overturn his conviction.
subvert Alana, stop trying to subvert the company goals.
topple The people are determined to topple the regime at any cost.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
overthrow		falling
destroy		steady
overturn		rising
subvert		rising
topple		rising

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: own¹
4 letters: ruin², oust¹, raze¹
5 letters: floor¹, upset², crush¹, quash¹
6 letters: defeat², refute², topple², unseat², uproot², ravage²
7 letters: destroy², reverse², conquer², undoing³, subvert², confute
8 letters: overcome³, conquest², reversal³, override³, overturn³, demolish³, overrule³, dethrone²
9 letters: overpower⁴, liquidate³
10 letters: demolition⁴, subversion³
11 letters: destruction³, suppression³, dissolution⁴, derangement, prostration³
12 letters: discomfiture
14 letters: bouleversement

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (ruin² = 2 syllables).