dethrone
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to remove from a throne; depose.
-
to remove from any position of power or authority.
verb
Other Word Forms
- dethronement noun
- dethroner noun
- undethroned adjective
Etymology
Origin of dethrone
Explanation
To dethrone means to remove a king or queen from power, like when Mary, Queen of Scots was kicked out of Scotland. You can also dethrone someone less formally, as when you dethrone your school's fastest runner by beating her mile time. In today's politics, to force a leader out of office is to depose them — except in the case of a monarchy, when we use the word dethrone. It literally means "to remove from the throne" and therefore refers specifically to those who sit on thrones: namely, kings and queens. You can also use this word in a figurative way to mean "remove from a dominant position." So, for example, you can say that the new jump rope champion dethrones the previous record holder.
Vocabulary lists containing dethrone
Get Out of Town!
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Adventures of Don Quixote
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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.
But, by the numbers, the Spurs have already distinguished themselves as the likeliest team to dethrone the defending-champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
The first of his major objectives for the season is May's Giro d'Italia, after which he will try to dethrone Pogacar at the Tour, seeking to add to his 2022 and 2023 successes.
From Barron's • Feb. 23, 2026
After a disastrous rookie season, Williams—the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2024—exhibited astonishing progress over the course of the year to dethrone the Detroit Lions in the NFC North.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 5, 2026
The Eagles and their hardscrabble brotherly love have returned to dethrone them.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 8, 2025
Because of the championship voters’ pronounced bias toward eastern horses in general and War Admiral in particular, Seabiscuit almost certainly could not dethrone the Horse of the Year without beating him on the track.
From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
