Word
unseat
Phoneticsun·seat, stress on the second syllable
US/ənˈsit/
UK/ʌnsˈiːt/
Definition
v. to remove someone from an important position, especially an elected job. You use it when voters choose someone else.
v. to remove from office or deprive of a seat, especially by defeat in an election. Extends to physically throwing a rider from a saddle.
Examples
“Voters unseat the mayor after one bad term.”
“In the local election, young voters joined forces to unseat the councillor who opposed the new library.”
“After two decades in parliament, the veteran minister was finally unseated by a grassroots challenger who campaigned on housing reform and climate action.”
Examples
simple
“Voters unseat the mayor after one bad term.”
contextual
“In the local election, young voters joined forces to unseat the councillor who opposed the new library.”
complex
“After two decades in parliament, the veteran minister was finally unseated by a grassroots challenger who campaigned on housing reform and climate action.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “unseat” in context.
Verb
01. attempt to unseat
“He attempted to unseat the club chairman but lost heavily.”
verb + to + verb
02. challenger unseat
“A little-known challenger unseated the world champion in straight sets.”
noun + verb
03. fail to unseat
“The opposition failed to unseat the president despite widespread protests.”
verb + to + verb
04. rival unseat
“Her closest rival unseated her as party leader last night.”
noun + verb
05. seek to unseat
“The young candidate seeks to unseat the veteran senator in November.”
verb + to + verb
Adjective
06. decisively unseat
“The opposition decisively unseated the ruling party in the regional elections.”
adv + verb
07. finally unseat
“After three attempts, activists finally unseated the long-serving council leader.”
adv + verb
08. narrowly unseat
“The challenger narrowly unseated the mayor by just 200 votes.”
adv + verb
09. bid to unseat the incumbent
“The former minister launched a bid to unseat the incumbent in the primary.”
10. fail to unseat the president
“The coup leaders failed to unseat the president despite seizing the radio station.”
11. narrowly unseat the favourite
“She narrowly unseated the favourite to reach the final.”
12. successfully unseat the champion
“He successfully unseated the champion after a gruelling five-set match.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
Real-World Examples
“In Arizona, Trump urged voters to elect Andy Biggs , a GOP congressman who’s running to unseat the state’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs .” “Flavio Bolsonaro is trying to unseat incumbent President Lula, with Amazon conservation a key issue.” “Brazilians will go to the polls in October, when Flavio Bolsonaro, a son of former right-wing leader Jair Bolsonaro, seeks to unseat Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.” “Sadiq Khan has had a vice-like grip on London, but a range of candidates hoping to unseat him in 2028 have announced themselves.” Etymology
From un- (suffix meaning ‘not’) + seat (“to provide with a place to sit”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related words
- 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
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/unseat