Standard Lemma guide

dethrone

verb · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: D IH0 TH R OW1 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: D IY0 TH R OW1 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To depose; to forcibly relieve a monarch of the monarchy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: depose, discrown, disenthrone, uncrown, unking, unmonarch, unqueen, unsceptre, unthrone

Antonyms: coronate, crown, enthrone, king, queen

2

verb

Meaning 2

To remove any governing authority from power.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bring down, depose, divest, overthrow

Antonyms: empower, install, invest, take office

3

verb

Meaning 3

To remove from any position of high status or power.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1753, Arthur Murphy, The Gray’s Inn Journal, No. 23, 24 March, 1753, Volume 1, London: P. Vaillant, 1756, p. 168, [...] we conclude, sincerely wishing, that you may continue to display your usual Graces of Elocution, and admirable Powers of Action, untill Harlequin shall dethrone the great Shakespear, or Pierot usurp the Seat of Johnson.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

To remove (something) from a position of power or paramount importance.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

remove a monarch from the throne

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • If the King does not abdicate, he will have to be dethroned

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: enthrone

Broader terms: divest, disinvest

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h1 Proto-Indo-European *déh1 Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē-der. English de- Middle English trone English throne English dethrone From de- + throne.

Across languages

Translations

36 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: destronar — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Czech: sesadit z trůnu — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Czech: zbavit trůnu — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Finnish: syöstä vallasta — forcibly remove a monarch
  • French: détrôner — forcibly remove a monarch
  • German: entthronen — forcibly remove a monarch
  • German: absetzen — forcibly remove a monarch
  • German: stürzen — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Hungarian: trónjától megfoszt — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Ido: destronizar — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Italian: detronizzare — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Japanese: 引き摺り下ろす (hikizuriorosu) — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Japanese: 廃位する (haii suru) — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Romanian: detrona — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Russian: сверга́ть (svergátʹ) — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Russian: све́ргнуть (svérgnutʹ) — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Spanish: destronar — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Swedish: detronisera — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Swedish: störta från tronen — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Ukrainian: детронізувати (detronizuvaty) — forcibly remove a monarch
  • Finnish: syöstä vallasta — remove governing authority from power
  • German: absetzen — remove governing authority from power
  • German: stürzen — remove governing authority from power
  • Hungarian: eltávolít — remove governing authority from power
  • Hungarian: lemondat — remove governing authority from power
  • Hungarian: hivatalától megfoszt — remove governing authority from power
  • Hungarian: megbuktat — remove governing authority from power
  • Japanese: 引き摺り下ろす (hikizuriorosu) — remove governing authority from power
  • Romanian: răsturna — remove governing authority from power
  • Romanian: prăbuși — remove governing authority from power
  • Russian: сверга́ть (svergátʹ) — remove governing authority from power
  • Russian: све́ргнуть (svérgnutʹ) — remove governing authority from power
  • Swedish: detronisera — remove governing authority from power
  • Swedish: avsätta — remove governing authority from power
  • Ukrainian: скида́ти (skydáty) — remove governing authority from power
  • Ukrainian: ски́нути (skýnuty) — remove governing authority from power