plural coups
ˈküz 
1
: a sudden decisive exercise of force in politics and especially the violent overthrow or alteration of an existing government by a small group : coup d'état
In its first few hours, the coup seemed a terrifying confirmation of the power of the military, the police and, especially, the KGB.—
David Remnick
David RemnickBy nightfall, the troops had freed the captured President and ended the six-day-old coup, a military spokesman said.—Marlise Simons
Marlise Simons2
: a brilliant, sudden, and usually highly successful stroke or act
It's an impressive coup for the NCAA and its corporate sponsors to snag an artist with Springsteen's cachet for this event.—Chris Strauss
Chris StraussFrom time to time, the conspiracy groupies pull off a huge disinformation coup.—Alex Kozinski
Alex KozinskiForeseeing a publicity coup, chairman Roger Smith was determined to exhibit an electric car at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January 1990.—Mark Fischetti
see also coup de grâce
Mark FischettiExamples of coup in a Sentence
Noun
It was a major coup when they got the Vice President to appear on their show for an interview.
winning that big contract was a real coup
Recent Examples on the Web
Samantha Highfill,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 July 2026
Jamil Mahuad Witt of Ecuador is ousted in a military coup in Quito; the action by a group of middle-ranking army officers follows the occupation of the capital and other large cities by Indigenous rights groups.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 July 2026
There is delight at Tottenham over what, alongside the £100m agreement for Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, represents a pair of significant coups.
—
Mark Critchley,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Another long-term consequence of the coup, a lack of professional opportunity for Black people in Wilmington, sent Brown packing after high school.
—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
3 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for coup
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Noun
But the real coup is Dippold's command of tone, deftly pivoting between nightmarish, surreal, wickedly funny, and soul-stirring modes, sometimes within single scenes.
—
Samantha Highfill,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 July 2026
Jamil Mahuad Witt of Ecuador is ousted in a military coup in Quito; the action by a group of middle-ranking army officers follows the occupation of the capital and other large cities by Indigenous rights groups.
—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
6 July 2026
There is delight at Tottenham over what, alongside the £100m agreement for Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali, represents a pair of significant coups.
—
Mark Critchley,
New York Times,
4 July 2026
Another long-term consequence of the coup, a lack of professional opportunity for Black people in Wilmington, sent Brown packing after high school.
—
Lauren Collins,
New Yorker,
3 July 2026
See All Example Sentences for coup
Cite this Entry
“Coup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coup. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
coup
noun
: injury occurring on the side of an organ (as the brain) on which a blow or impact is received compare contrecoup
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