- (also coup d’état)a sudden change of government that is illegal and often violent
- He seized power in a military coup in 2008.
- to stage/mount a coup
- He was sentenced to death for his part in the attempted coup.
- a failed/an abortive coup
- She lost her position in a boardroom coup (= a sudden change of power among senior managers in a company).
Extra ExamplesTopics War and conflictc1, Politicsc1- The coup was immediately put down and the plotters were shot.
- an army coup against the president
- Months of unrest in the company led to a boardroom coup that saw four directors voted out.
- The regime was overthrown in a bloodless coup led by young army officers.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- abortive
- attempted
- failed
- …
- launch
- mount
- stage
- …
- attempt
- plot
- leader
- …
- coup against
- the fact of achieving something that was difficult to do
- Getting this contract has been quite a coup for us.
- He pulled off a major diplomatic coup by winning agreement from all the warring factions on a permanent ceasefire.
Extra Examples- He managed to pull off a major diplomatic coup.
- Winning that contract was her greatest coup.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- big
- great
- major
- …
- pull off
- score
Word Originlate 18th cent.: from French, from medieval Latin colpus ‘blow’ from Greek kolaphos ‘blow with the fist’.
Check pronunciation:
coup