Standard Lemma guide

unseat

verb · 7 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.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /(ˌ)ʌnˈsiːt/
  • General-American: /ˌʌnˈsit/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iːt
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 N S IY1 T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To dislodge or remove (someone) from a seat, especially on horseback.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The frightened horse reared up and unseated its rider.
  • I was unseated from my bike after hitting an unexpected pothole.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: unhorse

2

verb

Meaning 2

To remove (someone) from an office or position, especially a political one; to dethrone.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

Examples

  • After having lost her seat to a Tory, she succeeded in unseating him in the next general election.
  • India has recently unseated China as the world’s most populous country.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: depose, oust, overthrow

Antonyms: appoint, enthrone, empower, install

3

verb

Meaning 3

To cause (something) to be removed or replaced in its role; to displace, to overturn.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

Examples

  • The Michelson-Morley experiment prompted scientists to unseat their belief in the luminiferous aether.
  • Printed newspapers are gradually being unseated by digital publications.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: oust, supersede, supplant

Antonyms: confirm, preserve

4

verb

Meaning 4

To upset the composure of (someone); to astound, to shock, to unsettle.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

Examples

  • The Matrix (1999) utterly unseated audiences around the world with its mind-blowing plot twist.
  • I was somewhat unseated by the strange noises outside my window.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: confound, discompose, disturb, unnerve, vex

5

verb

Meaning 5

To come off or out of a seat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Topics: engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, technical

Examples

  • We replaced the screws, since the old ones unseated too easily.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

dislodge from one's seat, as from a horse

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: move, displace

7

verb

Meaning 7

remove from political office

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The Republicans are trying to unseat the liberal Democrat

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: remove

History

Etymology

From un- (suffix meaning ‘not’) + seat (“to provide with a place to sit”).

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: syöstä ratsailta — to dislodge or remove (someone) from a seat
  • Finnish: syöstä istuimelta — to dislodge or remove (someone) from a seat
  • Italian: disarcionare — to dislodge or remove (someone) from a seat
  • Macedonian: и́сфрли од се́дло (ísfrli od sédlo) — to dislodge or remove (someone) from a seat
  • Finnish: irrota paikoiltaan — to come off or out of a seat
Real reading context

unseat in complete knowledge articles

Kalmyk loop Literature & books · Accessible · 1 uses