overthrow

/əʊvəˈθɹəʊ/

//əʊvəˈθɹəʊ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"overthrow" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“overthrow” has 14 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #12,822. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#12,822
frequency rank, English
1,431
“O” headwords
14
tracked misspellings
2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force; to usurp.

Corpus desk

Index EN-overthrow · overthrow · English

overthrow · rank #12,822 · 14 variants · 2 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #12,822
  • LEN-LONG 9 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 2 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 14 variants
  • BOOK-MID 1,431
  • PHOTO-FINISH onwards

Nearest frequency peer: onwards (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “overthrow”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “overthrow” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

overthrow vs overthrown
90% similar
overthrow vs overthrew
89% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for overthrow
PropertyValue
Headwordoverthrow
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/əʊvəˈθɹəʊ/
Letters9
Frequency rank#12,822
Misspellings tracked14
Confusable pairs2
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “overthrow”

Word frequency stretches from the small set of words we reach for constantly (left) out to the long tail barely used once in a while (right).overthrowlands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “onwards” (#12,821), “paradigm” (#12,823), “Omaha” (#12,820). Among 1,431 “O” headwords, “overthrow” is #12,822. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 14 spelling variants around overthrow (IPA /əʊvəˈθɹəʊ/), averb. Corpus frequency is #12,822 among 1,431 “O” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 14 likely wrong-spelling variants for overthrow, with forms such as "oevrthrow", "overhtrow", and "overrthrow". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "overthrown", "overthrew", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English overthrowen, equivalent to over- + throw. Compare Dutch overdraaien, German überdrehen, Old English oferweorpan (“to overthrow”). For the noun sense, compare Middle English overthrow, overthrowe (“destruction, downfall”), from the verb. The correct English form is overthrow, spelled O-V-E-R-T-H-R-O-W.

Definition

  1. 1
    To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force; to usurp.
  2. 2
    To throw down to the ground, to overturn.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how overthrow appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. I hate the current government, but not enough to want to overthrow them.
  2. Here's Gloſter, a Foe to Citizens, / One that ſtill motions Warre, and neuer Peace, / O're-charging your free Purſes with large Fines; / That ſeeks to ouerthrow Religion, / Becauſe he is Protector of the Realme; […]

Etymology

From Middle English overthrowen, equivalent to over- + throw. Compare Dutch overdraaien, German überdrehen, Old English oferweorpan (“to overthrow”). For the noun sense, compare Middle English overthrow, overthrowe (“destruction, downfall”), from the verb.

This word in other languages

derrocar(Español)renverser(Français)stürzen(Deutsch)derrocar(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • oevrthrow
  • overhtrow
  • overrthrow
  • overthhrow
  • overthorw
  • overthroww
  • overthrrow
  • overthrwo
  • overtrhow
  • overtthrow
  • ovetrhrow
  • ovrethrow
  • ovverthrow
  • voerthrow

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of overthrow - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

oevrthrow2overhtrow2overrthrow1overthhrow1overthorw2overthroww1overthrrow1overthrwo2
Edit distance from "overthrow"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "overthrow"?
"overthrow" is spelled O-V-E-R-T-H-R-O-W. The IPA pronunciation is /əʊvəˈθɹəʊ/.
What does "overthrow" mean?
As a verb, "overthrow" means: To bring about the downfall of (a government, etc.), especially by force; to usurp.
What words are commonly confused with "overthrow"?
"overthrow" is commonly confused with "overthrown", "overthrew". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "overthrow"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "overthrow" is /əʊvəˈθɹəʊ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "overthrow"?
From Middle English overthrowen, equivalent to over- + throw. Compare Dutch overdraaien, German überdrehen, Old English oferweorpan (“to overthrow”). For the noun sense, compare Middle English overthrow, overthrowe (“destruction, downfall”), from ... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "overthrow", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 9 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

perpetual#12,826possesses#12,833moonlight#12,808interrupt#12,796

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (14 here; floor ≥5).

hostility14 variantsspectacle14 variantssymposium14 variantsWimbledon14 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list