depose
Americanverb (used with object)
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to remove from office or position, especially high office.
The people deposed the dictator.
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to testify or affirm under oath, especially in a written statement.
to depose that it was true.
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Law. to take the deposition of; examine under oath.
Two lawyers deposed the witness.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr) to remove from an office or position, esp one of power or rank
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law to testify or give (evidence, etc) on oath, esp when taken down in writing; make a deposition
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of depose
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English deposen, from Old French deposer “to put down,” equivalent to de- de- + poser, from unattested Vulgar Latin posāre, Late Latin pausāre; see pose 1
Explanation
When you force someone in authority out of office — a politician, a king, or a cheerleading captain — you depose them. The word almost always associated with an act of deposition is coup, meaning a sudden act of overthrowing of the government. Sometimes bloodless, more often not. On a less dramatic scale, lawyers depose less exalted folk every day; it means they take evidence from them under oath, possibly to be used in a court case later. Often those giving evidence (mobsters, murderers, financial scammers, etc,) are unwilling to talk to lawyers, hence the suggestion of a stripping away of power and dignity implicit in the term depose.
Vocabulary lists containing depose
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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In the Time of the Butterflies
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President Obama's Speech at the United Nations
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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.
"If Plaid is the largest party after the election and has managed to depose Labour after a century, frankly he's going to be unassailable," he said.
From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026
Sadie Weldon, a private citizen, sought to depose the Lilith Fund’s deputy director using a special Texas mechanism called a 202 petition that allows people to investigate a potential claim before filing suit.
From Slate • Jan. 16, 2026
Bush sent troops in 1989 to depose and arrest the president of Panama, Manuel Noriega.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 4, 2025
Returning to our old friend Ludwig for a moment, note that he was known as “Mad King Ludwig” to the people who wanted to depose him, starting with his courtiers.
From Salon • Jun. 22, 2025
Sabata was opposed to the Bantu Authorities and would not capitulate, but my visitors were afraid that Matanzima would depose him, which is eventually what happened.
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.
