coopt
Americanverb (used with object)
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to elect into a body by the votes of the existing members.
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to assimilate, take, or win over into a larger or established group.
The fledgling Labor party was coopted by the Socialist party.
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to appropriate as one's own; preempt.
The dissidents have coopted the title of her novel for their slogan.
verb
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to add (someone) to a committee, board, etc, by the agreement of the existing members
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to appoint summarily; commandeer
Other Word Forms
- co-optation noun
- co-optative adjective
- co-option noun
- co-optive adjective
- cooptation noun
- cooptative adjective
- cooption noun
- cooptive adjective
Etymology
Origin of coopt
From the Latin word cooptāre, dating back to 1645–55. See co-, opt
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“Perhaps we should coopt the ‘OK’ gesture back.”
From Washington Times • Sep. 26, 2019
Dr. Christie says physician-assisted suicide laws may be especially influential because they coopt two institutions that people are brought up to trust — the law and medicine.
From Washington Times • Dec. 5, 2016
"I wonder now if the film is going to coopt the book in some sort of way, so people, and even I, remember it in some weird confused way."
From Seattle Times • Aug. 29, 2013
Many of them noted that Matanzima had already tried to coopt my approval by making Winnie’s father, Columbus Madikizela, the minister of agriculture in his government.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
