coup
Other forms: coups
A coup is a pretty major achievement, whether it involves taking over a government by force, or landing a major business contract.
When the word coup is used on the nightly news, it's usually describing a military government takeover. In the business section of the daily newspaper, coup might refer to a big corporation landing an important contract or deal. However you use the word coup, don't say the "p" at the end. It's not pronounced like chicken coop. It sounds more like a dove's coo.
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a sudden and decisive change of government illegally or by force
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synonyms:
coup d'etat, putsch, takeover
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examples:
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October Revolution
the coup d'etat by the Bolsheviks under Lenin in November 1917 that led to a period of civil war which ended in victory for the Bolsheviks in 1922
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types:
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countercoup
a sudden and decisive overthrow of a government that gained power by a coup d'etat
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type of:
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group action
action taken by a group of people
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October Revolution
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a brilliant and notable success
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type of:
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success
an attainment that is successful
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success
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Upheaval in Egypt: Is It a "Coup"?
Vocabulary lists containing coup
The Word Knowledge section of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a vocabulary test that assesses word meanings, synonyms, and antonyms in a multiple-choice format. Practicing this list on Vocabulary.com will expand your word knowledge and hone your test-taking skills via a variety of contexts and question types.
Conscripted by the army at the age of 13, Ishmael Beah was forced to fight in Sierra Leone's brutal civil war. In this memoir, Beah shines a light on the experiences of child soldiers.