Word
coup
US/ˈku/
UK/kˈuːp/
Definitions
01a sudden change of government
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a sudden, often violent, move by a group of people to take control of a country's government.
n. a sudden, illegal seizure of power from a government, typically by a small group or the military.
日本語:クーデター※
“The military led a coup and took control of the capital overnight.”
“Following months of civil unrest, the army staged a bloodless coup, ousting the president and suspending the constitution.”
Usage
Often used with the verbs 'stage', 'lead', or 'plot'.
02to overthrow a government
C2 · Proficiency Informal
v. to take control of a country by force.
v. to subject a nation or administration to a coup d'état.
“The rebels tried to coup the government but failed after two days.”
“Political analysts debated whether the faction had the logistical support required to successfully coup the ruling regime.”
03to tip or empty
C2 · Proficiency Dialect · British English
v. to tilt or empty something out, like a cart.
v. to overturn, tilt, or empty out a container or vehicle.
“He couped the cart to get the dirt out.”
“The worker couped the barrow, spilling the gravel across the driveway in a single motion.”
Teaching tip
This sense is specific to Northern England and Scotland; most English speakers will use 'tip' or 'dump' instead.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “coup” in context.
Verb
01. pull off a coup
“The small tech firm pulled off a major coup by signing a contract with the global leader.”
verb + noun
02. stage a coup
“The military staged a coup to overthrow the democratically elected government.”
verb + noun
03. thwart a coup
“Intelligence agencies managed to thwart a coup attempt before the rebels could mobilize.”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. bloodless coup
“The transition of power was remarkably peaceful, resulting in a bloodless coup.”
adj + noun
05. failed coup
“Following the failed coup, the president tightened his grip on the country's security forces.”
adj + noun
06. major coup
“Securing the world-famous architect for the project was a major coup for the city.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. coup attempt
“The capital was placed under curfew following a violent coup attempt last night.”
noun + noun
08. coup d'état
“The history books describe the 1973 event as a classic military coup d'état.”
noun + noun
Real-World Examples
“It was one of the reasons given for Goïta leading a coup in 2021 but attacks by jihadist groups have continued and even increased.” “Removing them from the UK would therefore be a major political coup for Burnham.” Etymology
Reborrowed in modern times from modern French coup (“blow, strike”), from Old French coup, colp, from Late Latin colpus, from Latin colaphus. Doublet of cope and colpus. The same Old French word had been borrowed into Middle English as coupe, caupe (with different pronunciation).
From Middle English coupen (“to buy; (figuratively) to pay for”), from Old Norse kaupa (“to buy, bargain, barter, exchange”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/coup
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0